Gained & Given
by NastsTeacup
Summary: Hoping to avoid responsibilities in Persia as Master Assassin, Hessa hopes to find peace traveling to Jerusalem but meets with chaos as she bumps in an arrogant man who deserves nothing but hatred...but will she think that after joining him. AltaïrxOC
1. Prologue

**So this is already the prologue to my new Assassin's Creed Story. I actually didn't think it would go this fast. So I said my first chapter would be tomorrow but I don't think it will be. I sure hope I can write it by tomorrow. So as I kept saying before, English is not my first language, French is. Which is why I'm so happy because I get to use my french in here! **

**Oh I know that in Jerusalem, people and guards don't speak french but I decided some of them did ^^ I realized this afterwards. Just to make this clear. **

**Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Assassin's Creed and all the characters and original plot belongs to Ubisoft. I own nothing except my own added plot and my OC. **

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><p><strong>GAINED &amp; GIVEN<strong>

Prologue

_Un dernier…just one left and then we're done._

The trail of blood she left behind her was attracting too much attention. The bells kept on ringing as she hoped to find refuge close by, to tend to her wound. All had gone according to plan except one thing…her escape. Running as fast as she could she turned to an alley on her right, hoping to benefit from it and hide while the guards looked around. She found a bench where two citizens sat, almost sleeping. As she took place in between them she winced, making her remember the wound on her abdomen. She threw a quick look to the almost sleeping citizens sitting on both sides of her and came to a conclusion: they were asleep. _Good. _She thought as she looked up to the sky, hoping to see something. When she didn't, she cursed. Shaking her head, a million thoughts entered and wandered in there, making concentrating harder. _Just a few more minutes. Just a few more. _

" _Regardez par là! Cherchez partout! Ne les laissez pas s'échapper!_" she heard the guards yelling as they ran by the alley she hid in. Seeing them run without taking a second look in the alley made her sigh, a sigh full of relief. A small smile crept onto her lips but quickly left.

" _Vous là bas! Que faites vous ? Attend…tu sembles familier! Cette habit, je le reconnais…_" under her hood she looked on the opposite side of the alley, searching for the escape route, " _C'est l'assassin! J'en ai trouver un!" _

He approached her running, while the steps of many more followed the voice of the guard that stood before her. She stood up, trying to forget the pain, and pressured the mechanism of her hidden blade to stab him. The blade entered his stomach and exited quickly as she stood on top of him, holding her injured abdomen.

" _C'est UNE assassin, imbécile. Pitoyable._" She told the now dead guard as she closed his eyes, "_Repose en paix._"

In the corner of her left eye, a few wooden crates made themselves visible and quite useful. She stood up and ran to them, quickly climbing the wall behind them as the other guards arrived to the alley only to discover their friend, dead. She kept on running and running, hoping to make it to the bureau safe…and alive. Although the bells stopped ringing, it didn't make her task much easier. The pain increasing, she cursed the only person that came to mind. Suddenly, she tripped from weakness and fell down to a small alley.

"_Putain de merde! Ça peut juste arriver à moi ça! C'était quoi mon idée de faire confiance à cette imbécile qui me dit qu'il ne me laissera pas seule. Grâce à lui, je suis dans le pétrin!_" she cursed out loud in French.

" I sure hope it is not me who you are cursing." A known voice said as she turned her head around to see the white clothed man, hood covering his face, standing before her, a visible smirk on his face.

"_Il était temps. _As a matter of fact, yes it was you. Now help me before I bleed out." She 'asked' kindly.

His face changed when the words 'bleed out' left her lips. He bent down and lifted her hand away from her injury. He looked at it and stood up, lending his hand to her, a hand she gladly took but would never admit it.

" We should get to the bureau to tend to this." He said, his tone serious all of a sudden as they used back streets to avoid as many guards as possible.

She coughed, "I thought you were going to leave and forget that I existed. I thought I was dead for a few minutes." She whispered.

He looked at her, " Why did you think that…?" he asked feeling somewhat insulted. After a few months, almost a year, she still didn't trust him?

" You ran away and left me alone…it is normal of me to have thought that." She says.

" Had I known you were injured…I would not have left you there…I thought you were safe." he said.

She smiled and looked up, " We're here." She said as she left his side and climbed up the ladder that lead to the bureau. She then climbed down with her partner's help. A familiar face crept out of the bureau. Malik.

" What has happened to her!" he almost screamed at her partner.

" Malik, do not blame him. I was careless and got myself injured." She said as the blamed man left inside the bureau whispering something about 'getting the supplies to tend to your wound'. As he left, Malik let out a discouraged sigh.

"You show too much kindness towards him. You should not feel the need to protect that arrogant and over confident man." Malik said as threw a quick look inside the bureau.

She looked down and bit her lower lip, " You know, Malik," she started as the said man looked at her, curiosity seen in his eyes, "Once you break that hard shell he's covering himself with, he proved himself to be a loyal and kind man, unlike the many insults you have called him in the past." She says as Malik stood there, shocked.

He approached her, putting his hand on her head and pulling her hood off, looking in those uncommon icy blue eyes of hers. He pulled a strand of her brown hair behind her ear and smiled.

"You, my dear, probably are the only person I know who is able to find good in that man I once believed to be my friend. How you do it? I do not know. But I do wish, for your sake, that you are right about him." He says while going back into the bureau but she stopped him before he could.

"Malik!," she says as he turned around, " He may not show it, but…he is sorry. And I do believe that he is loyal, had he not been, I would be dead right now." She felt Malik stare at her, as if he was waiting for her to say something else.

She opened her mouth again, " Altaïr deserves a second chance, had he not proven himself to be like this, he wouldn't have deserved it." She finished as Malik entered the bureau, leaving her alone.

_Had he not proven himself…Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad had gained my respect and care. What more could he gain ?_

Said man entered the courtyard and bent down next to her, supplies now laying on a pillow, ready to tend to her wound. They locked eyes for a second and he immediately started to take care of her wound. She looked at him while he worked and her stomach contracted, not of pain but of realization.

_Had he…broken my shell ? _

_After almost eleven months of pain, sweat, fights and hard work…I could say that Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad wasn't the man I thought he was eleven months ago…_

_He was…far from it…_

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><p><strong>So this was my prologue. Hope you guys enjoyed it :) <strong>

_Translation: Un dernier- A last one_

_Regarder par là! - Look over there!_

_Cherchez partout!- Look everywhere!_

_Ne les laissez pas s'échapper! - Don't let them escape!_

__Vous là bas! Que faites vous ? Attend…tu sembles familier! Cette habit, je le reconnais… - You over there! What are you doing? Wait...you look familiar! That outfit...I recognize it.__

_C'est l'assassin! J'en ai trouver un!- It's the assassin! I found one! (un is one but for guys in french and 'une' is for girls)_

_C'est UNE assassin, imbécile! Pitoyable! - It's ONE assassin, idiot! Pathetic! ( again with the 'un'-'une' thing.)_

__Putain de merde! Ça peut juste arriver à moi ça! - Goddamn it! It can only happen to me!__

__C'était quoi mon idée de faire confiance à cette imbécile qui me dit qu'il ne me laissera pas seule. Grâce à lui, je suis dans le pétrin! - What was with me and this idea that I could trust this idiot who tells me he's not going going to leave me alone. Thanks to him, I'm in trouble!__

_Il était temps - About time.._

**_R&R Please!_**

_Constructive reviews only, no bashing!_

_Thank you! Merci :) _


	2. Chapter I

**So this is my first chapter. I won't explain many things here but after the chapter, at the end, I'll explain some little things if I feel there needs explaining.**

**Enjoy! :D **

**Disclaimer: Assassin's Creed, Plot and Characters belongs to Ubisoft Montréal. The added plot and OC's are mine.**

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><p>GAINED &amp; GIVEN<p>

CHAPTER I - A LONG WAY FROM HOME

Jumping from wooden beam to wooden beam, a dark clothed figure made her way into the city of Jerusalem. Avoiding too make too much noise, afraid that she might alert the guards whom guarded the entrance under her, she entered the city and climbed down a building near the entrance. Startling a mother and her son as she fell on her feet gracefully, she bowed politely towards them and made her way inside the city. She walked slowly in the busy streets full of merchants, beggars and guards. Although she seemed fairly non-lethal, guards still kept a careful eye on her, especially since they always thought that she was a man. Most of her weapons were concealed under a cape, the only one that could be seen was her hidden blade. Her black tunic caught the sun and made it much hotter for her as she walked. The red sash around her waist was the only sign of color that could be seen on her body. Watching her surroundings for something in particular, something she was only told of but never had seen, she continued her search for it, going deeper into the middle district.

" Shouldn't be too far…" she muttered as she noticed what she was looking for. She walked towards it and climbed the wall. Now on the roof she looked around and whistled, the city was beautiful from where she stood. She smiled and let herself fall down an entrance. A huge beige and red rug sat on the floor and more than twenty pillows resting on it. There was another entrance, no door attached to it, leading to a house or office. She entered it to be welcomed by her friend, Amira.

" Safety and Peace, Sister." She says walking towards her friend.

Her friend smiled, " To you too my dear friend. What brings you here?" Amira asked curiously.

She knew nothing escaped the sixth sense her friend had. She knew when there was a reason for something. She smiled and locked eyes with Amira, "I'm avoiding my responsibilities as Master Assassin…" she says.

"Or are you avoiding what comes with it…? Because if I remember right, you were excited when you were named Master Assassin." Amira says.

A sigh escaped her mouth, " I know…I just want to avoid THAT."

" Hessa, we've been friends for many years now and never have I seen you avoid something. It isn't so bad, just…give it a chance." Amira told her friend.

" As soon as I go back home," she says wanting to change the subject, " How are things going at the bureau ? It seems calm." Hessa says looking around.

" It is. Very few come by the bureau anymore. It acts as my home and nothing else…it's been like this for a few months now." Amira says closing the book she wrote in before her friend entered.

" While I'm here, don't you have something for me? Someone for me to get rid of." She asks her friend.

Bringing a hand to her chin immediately after Hessa asked that question, she thought of something and went to a back room and came back.

" This, " she dropped a pile of parchment, "are reports of families interviewed by informants of ours." Amira says.

" And…?" Hessa asked.

" Family members taken away from them. And rumour has it that a slaver named Talal is the one abducting them." Amira smiled when she saw her friend's head lift up rapidly, gaining her interest.

" Please do tell me more." Hessa says.

Amira could only sigh, " I wish I could my dear friend but all reports and task were given to our brothers of Masyaf…"

" The Brotherhood? Why ?" Hessa asked.

Amira shrugged, " Under strict orders of their Master Al Mualim, we are not to approach any mission or to intervene during one of them, unless we are needed…a letter was sent to all bureaus." Amira said, taking out the letter, showing it to her friend. Reading the letter over and over again, Hessa sighed.

" I'll just take a look around the city. Maybe I'll find out new information." Hessa said, going in the courtyard but her friend's voice stopped her.

" Hessa! Do not forget…you are not to intervene, remember this. Please be careful my friend." Amira says as Hessa smiled reassuringly to her friend.

Hessa climbed up the courtyard and observed the surroundings, the hot sun falling on her. A guard looked and her, " Get down, now! You shouldn't be up here!" he screamed reaching for his weapon.

She immediately let herself fall down onto the streets of Jerusalem still feeling a stare at the back of her neck. She didn't bother to look back and started her walk around the city. She could feel stares from people looking at her oddly, it made her chuckle as she turned a corner and found herself in a small alley, yet again.

_Ça va être une longue journée…_

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><p>" Safety and Peace, Malik." Altaïr's said coming into the bureau.<p>

Malik turned around, " Your presence here deprives me of both. What do you want ?" He asked.

Altaïr started," Al Mualim has asked-"

But Malik cut him off, " Asked that you perform tasks in an effort to redeem yourself. So be out with it."

The air was tense and so was the energy between the two men. Altaïr held no emotion on his face while Malik stared at him coldly. They stared at each other for a while before Altaïr spoke.

" Tell me what you can about the one they call Talal." Altaïr demanded.

" It is your duty to locate and assassinate de man, Altaïr, not mine." Malik was quick to answer. Obviously he wasn't too happy about having to help him.

Altaïr got closer to the counter that separated Malik and himself, " You do well to assist me, his death benefits the entire land."

Malik answered back almost immediately, " Do you deny his death benefits you as well."

" Such things do not concern you!" spat Altaïr.

Malik scoffed, " Your action very much concern me!"

Altaïr backed away from the counter, looking Malik in the eyes, " Then don't help me. I'll find him myself." He says while he backs away and walks towards the courtyard before a sigh made it self heard. Altaïr slowed his pace, smirk plastered on his face.

" Wait, wait!" Malik said before Altaïr could reach the exterior, " It won't do good having you stumble about the city like a blind man. Better you know where to begin your search." Malik said looking at Altaïr as he walked back to be in front him.

" I'm listening."

" I can think of three places. South of here, in the markets that line the border of the Muslim and Jewish district, to the North of the Mosque of this district and East front of Saint Anne's Church. " Altaïr listened and memorized the information given by Malik.

" Is that everything?" Altaïr's monotone voice asked.

Malik glared at him, " It's enough to get you started…and more than you deserve." Malik said shooing him away. Altaïr glared at Malik's back but left the bureau without any other word.

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><p>Hessa wandered around the city and soon found herself near the markets. Her eyes locked themselves upon two men speaking to each other as if…as if they were trying to hide something. One of them looked angry and the other one looked worried. They stood at a close distance to each other but kept looking around them, making sure no one would listen to their important conversation. Making way through the citizens, she found a bench to sit on and listened to their conversation. Sitting on it, clasping her hands together with her head down, she tuned in her senses and tuned out the surroundings, concentrating only on their voices. Lifting her eyes just from under her hood she noticed she wasn't the only one listening in on their conversation. She tried to analyze the man. Dressed in all white, a hood very similar to hers, weapons and…a red sash. Her breath caught in her throat. Was he an assassin from the Brotherhood? He stood behind a pillar but thankfully she caught a glimpse of his hand. She scoffed and shot a quick look at her own left hand. Seeing the hooded man move towards one of the man that spoke made her remember that had missed the whole conversation. He was following him quite closely. Her eyes widened. <em>He's going to steal from him! <em>She got up as fast as she could and made way towards them, following closely. The hooded man stood on her right as she stood on the left. A smirk appeared on her lips as she suddenly thought of a plan.

She kept following them for a few more seconds before the hooded man reached for the man's back pocket. Before he could she pushed a citizen causing the said citizen to bump into the hooded man, who himself stumbled onto the man he was following. The latter turning around screaming, " Thief! Catch him! He tried stealing from me!"

The was her cue as she hurried to find a place behind the man to then reach into his back pocket, stealing a piece of parchment easily.

Altaïr found himself surrounded by guards with their weapons out. He caught a black figure going behind the man HE was supposed to steal from and saw the figure steal the piece of parchment in a matter of seconds. Anger took control of him. He couldn't care less about the guards because all he wanted to do is catch that figure and take back what belonged to him. He grabbed a guard and threw him onto another one, making a way for him to pass. As he did, the black figure noticed him running after him. Altaïr froze for a mere second before continuing the run. Although he hated to admit it, the figure was fast, even faster than him, making it harder for him to catch up. The guards still following him, he ran faster, he tried to find a way to lose them and continue his search of the black figure.

Hessa was soon running out of breath but she kept going, afraid she might get caught. She knew the guards were tailing them, well the hooded man was but they were since the hooded man was tailing her. He definitely wouldn't give up on the letter and the guards would never leave the man alone unless he hid himself and she wouldn't stop running until the hooded man stopped following her. This was a lousy situation but one she had to get herself out of. She suddenly thought of something. She turned her head around, looking behind her. The man was close but still far away enough. She turned into an alley and into another one and she was in a dead-end.

" _Merde!_" she swore. She hurried herself to climb up on a wall beside her and arrived soon enough on the building's roof and sighed. She escaped both. She hid for a few minutes before walking towards the bureau. Unknown to her, a guard had noticed Altaïr following another person and instead changed his course to find the person he was following. He stood on an opposite roof behind her, bow and arrow in position, and he was ready to shoot. Hessa looked at her feet and all of a sudden a shadow came from behind her and swept her off her feet, making both of them fall into a haystack below. When her eyes opened, seconds after the fall, she noticed the white hooded man laid on top of her. She pushed him off and out of the haystack, she got out and stood in front of him, a few feet away. Her hood still hid her face enough.

" The letter is mine. Give it now and I may spare your life." He ordered.

She scoffed, " You think I'll give it up this easily?" She said. The voice surprised Altaïr. Not only was the voice a female one but there was a thick accent he couldn't quite recognize. She lifted her head enough so he could take a small peek at her face.

" A woman? Now listen-"

"No! You listen, we may have the same career but not the same master. I decide of what I want and that is a letter I wanted. Templars are not only destroying everything here but everywhere. My country is in danger. Now, you let me look at the letter and I'll give it to you. I just need the information to inform my brothers and sisters." She says, with a strict tone. _Reminds me of a mother scolding a child. _Altaïr thought.

" Explains the accent." He states as she curiously looks at him.

She arched an eyebrow from under her hood, " Beg your pardon?"

" You are not from here. And how could someone even permit a woman to be an assassin? Who is this master of yours?" Altaïr asked.

She smirked, " How observant you are. Open people, open minded people gave women a right to be who they wanted to be. Although we are not much, we do what we are asked for and there is no difference. Your talking to her." She answered.

His eyes stared at her for a second and widened, though she did not see it from under his hood, at her last answer.

" You? Master? It's impossible." He said.

" It is. I'm not here to cause chaos, I simply hope to find a way for my Brotherhood and Sisterhood to still stand through hardships those Templars put us through. You should know how they are." She said, her body relaxing as they still kept a good distance between them but talked.

" Why are you not with them? You had to come all the way over here to find out for yourself?" he asked, his tone still monotone with a hint of curiousness and slight anger from the steal a few moments before.

" Most of the Assassins are needed in this great time of horror. The past Master Assassins are taking care of the Brotherhood and Sisterhood during my absence." She said as she took out the letter and handed it to him. He stared at her with great surprise from under his hood.

" I thought you needed it." Altaïr asked. _Wait? What am I doing? Am I having a conversation? I'm wasting my time but…I have never heard of a…Sisterhood. _

" I shouldn't have," she let the letter fall into his hand, " this is yours. Use it wisely."

She turned her back to him, " You should never turn your back to your enemy." He stated, a very slight smirk on his lips.

" You are not an enemy, we serve the same cause in different ways, under the same creed and from different perspectives. Thus, I was not turning my back to an enemy but to a brother. Although I do not think you would want me to consider you as that." She said as she walked out of the alley but three guards came and blocked her path.

" It's them!" one of them pointed at them and she abruptly ran in direction of Altaïr who followed her as they tried to find a way to hide and escape the guards once again. Unknowingly, Altaïr led her to the bureau…to his bureau. She followed him noticing the way he didn't try to stop her from following him. As they were coming out an alley they found themselves ambushed. One of them lunged at Hessa as she dispatched him fast enough but not quick enough since another one had come from behind her and stabbed her in the arm with a small hand blade. She hissed and took the blade, slashing his throat as he grabbed it, falling to the floor. From the corner of her eye, she noticed the hooded man running up wooden crates, she grabbed a guard as another one was going to shoot her with an arrow and used the body as a shield. She then threw it on the floor and climbed up the same route as him and was surprised to find him waiting for her.

After minutes of running, they were able to escape and walk calmly on the rooftops. Since her tunic was dark, the blood wasn't visible and thus he hadn't noticed her arm bleeding. But her holding her arm gave it away. He looked back and did a double take on how she held her arm.

" You're injured." He stated as he came to a stop.

She shrugged it off, " I'll be fine."

He took hold of her arm as she struggled to keep it out of his grip, "It could get infected." He stated once again and dragged her until her climbed down. _This oddly resembles the entrance of our bureau. _She thought as she climbed down with very little help from Altaïr.

_Why did I bring her here! I'm going crazy! It seems being a novice again changes the way I am…I'm being careless. _

"Sit here. I'll be back." He said.

Altaïr went in the bureau to notice the absence of Malik and he sighed. _Good, he's not here. _He thought as he left in search for supplies to tend to her wound. But Malik was in the back room opposite of Altaïr. Thus when he came out and went to the courtyard thinking he heard Altaïr coming in he was surprised to find a woman, hood down, bleeding.

"Altaïr!" the concerned man heard his name and couldn't help but flinch at the way Malik yelled it. He came out to the courtyard, supplies in his arms. And for the first time he got a good look to the woman. Her long dark brown hair tied with a piece of cloth falling on her back with waves in them, she had tanned skin and what really struck him were her eyes. Icy blue eyes.

"What have you done to her? And why is she even here?" Malik asked as Altaïr locked eyes with the woman sitting on the floor.

_This is going to be hard to explain…_

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><p><strong>Traduction: <strong>_Ça va être une longue journée - It's going to be a long day. _

_Merde! - Sh*t!_

**So this was my first chapter. I know Altaïr may not seem in character for now but I'm just adapting to the whole character. I was adapting myself to Ezio when I was writing I Promised and now I have to adapt myself to Altaïr but it'll come eventually. I'm a bit shaky with my sentence structuring in English since it's been a long time since I wrote in English. I go to a French based school so French is the language I write most in. Pardon me :) I'm still working on a lot of details right now. I had at least five chapters, more like the outline of these chapters already written but just to prove how things change. The end product of chapter one is completely different from the outline I wrote ^^ And I am also trying to put altogether all the characters. Their back stories and all. Please bare with me ^^**

**I hope you enjoyed the chapter :)**

**R&R Please.**

**No bashing, constructive comments are loved :) **


	3. Chapter II

**Hello guys, I am sooooooo sorry for posting this sooooo late but I was sooooo caught up in final exams that I forgot. But now the exams are almost ALL done so this means I'll have more time to write this summer and I hope to be able to complete my Assassin's Creed I and Assassin's Creed II story by the end of the summer. I also which to start after this one is done my Assassin's Creed Brotherhood story. And eventually next year (I know I'm planing way ahead of time ^^) I'll start my Assassin's Creed Revelations Fic. **

**I have a important message at the end of this chapter to explain a thing or two. Please read!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Assassin's Creed, it belongs to Ubisoft Montréal. I'm only borrowing. The OC'S are mine.**

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><p><strong><span>GAINED &amp; GIVEN<span>**

_CHAPTER II – Let me explain_

" What have you done to her? And why is she even here!"

Malik's voice echoed in the courtyard before the echo disappeared and left its place to silence. Silence hung in the air, making the atmosphere awkward. Hessa had locked eyes with Altaïr for a few seconds but now her head was leaning towards the ground. Altaïr still had the supplies in his arms and Malik stood on the opposite side of him, glaring at him dangerously. Malik was the only moving as he started pacing from left to right, waiting for one of them to speak. Hessa still held her right arm and tried to apply pressure so she wouldn't bleed out.

" I did not arm her, Malik." Altaïr said, breaking the silence, " We were ambushed."

" I got injured by being careless." She whispered making Malik turn his head to her. Something really made him curious about her. Altaïr had said "they were ambushed". Not "I was ambushed". It made him wonder…

" Tell me your name girl." Malik ordered.

Altaïr walked to him, almost whispering to him, " She won't tell you-"

" Hessa." Her voice was heard.

_She was defensive when I was alone with her but now she's not. She's open…_Altaïr thought. Malik wanted to smirk but stopped himself. He had never seen Altaïr surprised by someone, especially by a woman. And that, for him, was sight he would never forget. Malik looked at Hessa while she sat on the floor. She wore a strange attire, not one a woman would usually wear. It was a tunic much like the one Altaïr wore but black with the red sash and leather belt. She carried weapons like the ones Altaïr carried. There was a visible hidden blade on her left arm. The cape she had been wearing before the attack was off, revealing her weapons and tunic more clearly. Malik looked at her carefully and concluded that she was not an enemy or so he hoped. He looked at Altaïr and gave a nod in direction of Hessa.

" Tend to her wound and then carry on." Malik said walking back into the bureau.

Altaïr knelt down before her, starting to tend to her wound. Hessa watched him as he did. She couldn't help but notice that he was uncomfortable physically touching her, although it was to tend to her injury. It looked as if he didn't want to hurt her but also like he didn't want to be the one to do it. She tried not to wince but when he applied slight pressure, she couldn't contain it inside any longer. She hissed as low as she could but he still heard it. He kept his eyes on her arm as he wrapped a clean cloth around it. He would of thought she would have been whining as soon as he applied any pressure or medicine on it but she didn't, she simply kept her pain for herself and let him finish the job. He tied the cloth, cleaning up the now used supplies. She got up, dusting herself off and bowed to him.

" Thank you for your help." She said. Her accent made him shiver for unknown reason. Although Altaïr wasn't the kind of man to find himself easily attracted to a woman but her accent did attract him somehow. He watched her as she looked at her tunic, making sure everything was still in place and getting herself ready to leave. Malik came back to see her up and about to leave.

"You are leaving already." He stated although it was meant to be a question.

She turned around to face him, his voice startling her, "Yes. I do not want to bother you anymore…the both of you." She says. Her face bore no emotion anymore as she slowly stretched her arm around. She bowed one last time to them and turned her back to them.

"Woman! I have a question." Malik said stopping her immediately.

She turned around, "Hessa. And you may ask your question." The way she had just said that sent shivers down Malik's spine. There was a lot of authority in her voice and tone. Obviously, wherever she came from, she was from high status and she wasn't afraid to let it known. Although he wanted to tell her that women should never answer back with such a tone, he didn't.

"What is your purpose here ?" he asked.

"To save my land and any land infested with Templars." Was her only answer as she climbed the wall behind her, leaving the bureau. Altaïr stepped forward, wanting to follow her, but he restrained himself and stood there. Malik looked at Altaïr and brushed my him.

"Carry on with your task, novice." He said.

Altaïr glared, "I'm no novice."

Malik had gone inside the bureau but his voice was still heard, "You are to me."

* * *

><p>Hessa hurried herself to get away from the bureau. The meeting had disturbed her greatly as it was the first time she met brothers from another land. She tried to remember any of their features just in case she ever met one of them ever again. One wore a white tunic much like hers but his physical features were different. From under his hood she noticed full lips, tanned skin and a unique eye color that she had yet distinguished. He was taller than her, if she guessed right, as her eyes arrived to his lips. The other man wore a tunic close to her friend and much like the one she wore. As if the two were mixed. He had black hair and a dark eye color. A very distinctive feature was his missing left arm. The more she thought of them, the more questions came to mind. She shook her head as she turned in an alley to see a tunic. The same white tunic that man wore but…it wasn't him. It was someone else. Her shook her head once again and made her way to her bureau. The ladder she climbed not long made itself seen to Hessa's eyes. She quickly climbed it but a thought made itself known. Her bureau and theirs, were actually very close to each other. She let out a sigh and climbed down the surface of the wall. She turned around to see Amira sitting on a few pillows. She lifted her head up to meet Hessa's eyes.<p>

"What happened?" she immediately asked.

Hessa hesitated, "I met with some of our brothers…"

Her friend threw a look at her, "What have you done now?"

"Nothing! I promise!" Hessa said as she threw her arms in the air, claiming her innocence.

"You tried to interfere didn't you?" Amira asked still sitting on the pillows.

"Well this man had a letter that would have proven to be helpful…"

"HESSA!" her outraged friend semi-screamed.

"But I gave it to our brother!" Hessa screamed back.

Amira sighed with relief, "Good."

"After a run in with the guards…including myself getting injured and brought to their bureau and meeting the Rafiq." She muttered rapidly.

"Care to repeat that? Have I heard properly? Guards. Injured. Bureau. Rafiq!" her friend asked.

"After a run in with guards," Hessa started repeating but her friend threw her a glare, "Yes guards. I got injured but it was tended to. I went to the bureau but stayed for a short amount of time. And yes, I met the Rafiq." Hessa said.

Amira looked at her friend sitting down next to her, "You do know that this will be reported to their Master."

"Yes. I am very aware of that." Hessa stated.

"Hessa…what is your mother going to think if she hears that you interfered with the brothers under Al Mualim's care. You know how she feels about him." Hessa knew this was coming.

Being careful of her tone, Hessa answered, "This is not of your concern. What my mother thinks of a fellow Master or what I do does not concern you. It does only to my family and I. I shall take care of this."

A silence hung in the air.

"You can't avoid your other responsibilities." Her friend said, breaking the silence.

Hessa rolled her eyes, "For a few years, yes I can."

Amira scoffed, "You have four years to go before you lose your title if you don't-"

"I know!" Hessa snapped. Amira stared at her friend, shocked at the sudden anger. Hessa had never snapped at her. The two friends stared at each other and Hessa got up on her feet. She dusted herself off and again, climbed up the wall and left. Amira stared at the spot where her friend stood a few seconds before and bit her bottom lip angrily.

* * *

><p>In the few weeks Altaïr had traveled to kill his two first targets, his perspective of the world had already changed a bit but he still had much to learn if the old man still sent him on the killing 'sprees'. Now he was preparing to kill his third target, Talal. Although the information gathering had been difficult caused by a certain delay named, if he remembered right, Hessa. He knew it was soon to be done and he could then move on with his other target.<p>

The night had fallen on the city of Jerusalem and Altaïr wandered the streets to analyze them a bit better with much less people walking in them. He walked slowly. He rarely got the chance to just walk and not be on high alert at all times. To just enjoy the beauty of the night, the cold breeze on his hooded face and the calm of the city.

"Thief!" he heard a woman scream as a man ran by him. _Not everything can be perfect…_

But then a dark figure also ran by him…a dark clothed and armed figure. He furrowed his eyebrows and wondered…was it that woman from earlier? His curiosity got the best of him for once and he followed them, speeding up to catch up to them. He arrived at the corner of an alley and the main street to be surprised by the presence of only the woman. The thief had gone. Had she killed him? Or did she let him go? His curiosity had gotten the best of him seeing as he was faced a now surprised face. He had been too curious and not careful enough…and now he met again with her. In her right hand she held the money pouch she had just taken back from the thief and she had this look on her face of curiosity…just like he had. She took careful steps in his direction and brushed by him as if she hadn't seen him. He turned his head around and then his whole body making his way behind her, following the path she was taking. Based on her body language he could tell she knew that he was following her. They were back on the same streets where the robbery had taken place and he watched as the woman, Hessa, took graceful steps towards the robbed woman. As she arrived to her she handed the pouch to the old woman who bowed to her, repeating the words 'Thank you'. Hessa turned her head around and made eye contact with Altaïr for a full minute. She pulled her hood a little bit more over her eyes and all he could see was a smirk on her face as she left, sprinting. He immediately ran after her. _Why? _He didn't know but he ran. She was definitely quicker than him and it made him follow even more. He kept his eyes on her body as she turned abruptly to her right making him adapt to her sudden change of direction. He turned but she had gone. Was he too slow? _No, but not fast enough. _He walked in the alley taking slow and careful steps as he was going further. The alley broke itself in four other alleys giving him a few choices to follow. Out of nowhere a hand grabbed his collar and pushed him against the wall not aggressively but not delicately either. He was now face to face with the woman whom made him curious. Her tiny but strong hand holding his tunic tightly and her other one on his left hand, making it impossible for him to use his hidden blade. Her left leg was positioned in between his legs, making it dangerous if he moved or tried to escape.

"Following me, are you?" she asked breaking the silence.

"I thought you would have noticed earlier." He stated.

She scoffed, "I though you would have build up the courage to come and ask me a question or what his making you curious." She smirked as she answered. Her grip on him was now totally non-existent. Taking this as his cue, he switched the positions rapidly. Altaïr taking the place she had seconds ago making her the trapped one. She grunted making Altaïr wonder why, he looked down and noticed the arm he was holding onto was the injured one. He let go immediately and backed away pressing his back against the opposite wall. They locked eyes and stared at each other. The description she had made in her head that same day was right on point. She felt him stare at her and she turned her head away. She never had a man stare at her. And it made her slightly uncomfortable. Altaïr would never admit it out loud but he had in front of him a very attractive woman and that woman did the same job as him. Which made him, for many strange reasons, more attracted to her and curious.

"Why?" he asked.

She turned her head back to him, "Why, what?"

"Why do you do this? Why aren't you doing-"

"Why aren't I doing what every woman should be doing?" she asked as he nodded, "Because I don't want to be the typical housewife or sister. I want to make a change and the liberation of my land from the Templars is a big change. My land is scared. Afraid to go out in the street, to enjoy life…to live. Templars ruined their lives. Being the eldest, I had to take on the responsibilities of being who I am, what I am meant to be and what I was brought up to be." _She was brought up as an assassin..._

"Why are you here then?" he asked.

Her icy blues eyes stared at him, "Because…I don't think I'm ready to take on these responsibilities."

"You still did." He stated.

"Yes, I had to."

"Why?" _Why do I even care?_

She sighed, "For the sake of my family and as payment." _Payment for what? _

"This can't be the only reason." He says, analyzing her body language.

"With being Master Assassin…I have 'other' responsibilities to take care of…" she starts.

Altaïr tilted his head to the left, "What of them?"

"Those are what I'm avoiding by coming here."

She pushed herself off the wall she was leaning against and slowly walked out of the alley. She heard his footsteps leaving in the opposite direction and she suddenly stopped in her tracks. She turned around rapidly and ran back to the alley.

"Wait!" she called out as he turned around slowly.

He looked at her and furrowed his eyebrows at her.

"Will I ever see you again?" she asked. _Pourquoi est-ce que je pose cette question?_

His body froze with surprise at the question, "After tomorrow I leave."

She nodded to herself, "I'll take that as a maybe." She said as she turned around leaving Altaïr there, smirking to himself walking towards the bureau.

_This may be interesting…_

* * *

><p>Translation: Pourquoi est-ce que je pose cette question? <strong>Why am I asking this question?<strong>

**Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter. I'll just explain this one thing. I know Altaïr may not seem his arrogant usual self but I decided to make him slightly different. But do not worry he will have some of his arrogance back. After all what/who is Altaïr without a little bit of arrogance ? Haha. Another thing I will mention again is that my OC is from Persia. She comes from a completely different land than Altaïr. Thus giving me the reason to write in the story that 'her land' is in danger. I didn't want her to come from the same land. ^^ I am still trying to put everything together to make it work. Still a lot to work on.**

**By the way, I am not good with fight scenes but I will make an effort and try. Next chapter should have more action in it. **

**R&R Please! :D **

**No bashing! Constructive comment always appreciated.**

**I will try to post a third chapter by tonight or tomorrow morning! :D **


	4. Chapter III

CHAPTER III – Unlucky

_Masyaf_

"I have reached a decision. You are hereby demanded and obligated to stay and perform all tasks given by me. You will accompany my novice on his task to redeem himself. If not you will be punished. Here, you are not a Master Assassin anymore. You will have to address me as Master. You will have to respect our three tenets. When all tasks are done you shall have the right to go back to your land. Until then…you are to stay here." Al Mualim told Hessa as she stood, hands behind her back and Altaïr on her right. Her breath caught in her throat as she listened. She was stuck here. Altaïr didn't show much emotion but deep inside he was shocked. He didn't need someone to look after him and he knew that already. He just needed to get those tasks done, get back his ranks and then he'd be done. He didn't want her to slow him down. From behind her Altaïr sent a cold glare at her. _Not only do I save her…twice…I'm now stuck with her._

_A few days before_

"DAMN IT!" Hessa hissed as she knocked on the now closed gate. She kept hitting on it until her knuckles bled. Her breathing was short and rapid. She stopped hitting the closed gate, " _Les hommes! Tous des impatients!_" she swore.

She decided to calm down and find another solution. She circled the slave complex and tried to find a way in but nothing made itself visible. She exited the main complex and climbed up the first wall she saw to analyze the outside of the complex. She jumped from roof to roof, contouring the complex and she caught something from the corner of her eyes. She caught a shadow coming out of what looked like an exit directly on top of the slave complex. She knew the shadow wasn't Altaïr but probably their target, Talal. She climbed even higher to catch up to him but something else caught her eye…Altaïr. He came out from the same exact place Talal came out from. She watched as they exchanged some words and she gradually got closer to Talal but she noticed Altaïr glance at her, clearly telling her not to move. She stopped any movement but as soon as she did, Talal ran. She saw from the corner of her eyes, as she started running, that Altaïr had done the same. She was faster than Altaïr and thus was ahead of him as she tried to catch up to Talal whom had proven to be quite the runner. She made a sign to a Altaïr that she would climb up and ran towards wooden crates, making way towards the many beams that were above ground. Surprise took over as she saw Altaïr stay on the ground and agreeing with her move. As she ran from beam to beam she could see the white tunic running under her, pushing people out of his way.

"You there! Get down!" she heard a guard yell at her as she passed by a roof. He took out his bow and arrow out but she was quicker as she took out a throwing knife, aiming and throwing it as his body fell down in the streets below her. The guard had slowed down her pace and it was now her turn to catch up to Altaïr.

She couldn't see him anymore as she tried hiding from the guards who were now on high alert. She let herself fall down in a smaller street and sat on a bench. She heard the guards pass by the street and not taking a second look for her. After the steps disappeared further away, she got up and walked deeper in the small street. She felt someone walking behind her but did not look back. The steps were getting closer as she prepared the mechanism of her hidden blade. She abruptly turned around to be pressed against the wall next to her by none other than Altaïr and his hidden blade pressed against her throat.

"Why did you follow me?" he growled pressing the blade harder against her skin.

"You didn't seem to mind." She hissed not liking the tip of his blade so close to her throat.

"You are not to interfere in this mission or any mission for that matter!" he snapped.

"Then KILL me." She told him as she raised her arm, letting it fall down on his own and applied more pressure on her on throat by gripping his arm.

Altaïr inhaled sharply as he considered her 'offer'. He stared into her cold blue eyes. Those eyes…eyes that captivated him every time he looked into them. No fear was seen in them. They almost shook from pleasure as she pronounced those last words. Kill. Would he actually kill her? _Maybe? _Would this mean that he broke another tenet…again? _I…don't know. _The ongoing fight he was having with his mind frustrated him. During this moment he couldn't help but notice the scar along her neck as it disappeared under her tunic. To his surprise it was a wide scar and it looked as if it had just recently healed completely.

"I will spare you. Consider yourself lucky." Altaïr said, thinking of his decision. Was it a good one or would he regret it later on? He wouldn't have time to regret it since he would already be gone.

She felt the pressure on her neck leaving as he backed off of her and she scoffed, "Keep wishing. I gave you the damn option to kill me." She muttered to herself. _Who does he think he is? _The man she had met was now different. She could feel the arrogance the day they met but now that she experienced it, the feeling was much worse. He thought of himself as the best. Skill wise, he probably was but his people skills needed a lot more practice. She could see from his dark honeyed coloured eyes that he took great pleasure in trying to cause fear into someone but the irritation that showed when she gave no hint of it made her chuckle slightly.

"What's so funny woman?" he asked arrogantly. _There's the arrogance…_She thought as she rolled her eyes. Anger was building up slowly inside her every time he called her 'woman'.

"You want to know," she started yelling," what makes me 'laugh'! It's the fact that-"

Everything happened so fast. She saw for a mere seconds his eyes widened and all she remembered was him grabbing forcefully her shoulders, shoving her to the side as she hit the wall hard only to hit the dirty ground. Silence hung in the air as she lifted her head up, grunting while she opened her eyes slowly only to notice a guard walking towards her. She hissed and reached for a small blade, hurrying her movements and throwing it at him, killing him instantly as the body made a 'thump' sound when it hit the ground. She dragged herself around as she laid still on the floor, the shock of being thrown into a hard wall sending pain in her whole body. Dust still danced in the air for a few seconds before it fell down again to its original place. With her hand she reached up to her head, a throbbing pain making its presence known as she touched the said place and looking at her hand, seeing blood. _Why did he throw me that hard? And why did he do it? _ She tried getting up on her feet but it was not successful, a troubling weakness in her legs stopping her from doing so. She, instead, dragged herself and turned around hoping to find Altaïr…_What am I thinking? He probably left running using me as a distraction! That bastard. Ce con! Dès que je le retrouve, je le tue! _But her thoughts would turn out to be untrue as she fully turned around, still laying on her stomach, and she would see the body of Altaïr laying face first on the ground, an arrow in his right shoulder. His white tunic had a dangerously growing red spot, which made her drag herself faster until she reached, she was hoping that it was not, his lifeless body. She lifted his body with all the strength she had left and concluded it was a clean entry and exit. She reached for her medicine pouch and took out the medicine but something was missing. _I have no linen to wrap around his injury. _She hissed and looked around but not for long as he eyes set themselves on her tunic. _This will have to do until I bring him somewhere safer. _She ripped a clean part of her tunic and set it on her pouch until she could take out the arrow. She tried to think of a way she could remove the arrow without hurting him. She started to move his body around in a sitting position and she sat so she could hold his body in between her legs. _If he would have been awake this would have been awkward. _She knew he would bleed a lot when the arrow would be out but she knew it had to be taken out. She reached for the tip of the arrow, biting her lip in the process, and grabbed onto it. For a few seconds she hesitated to do the break but brought herself to do it as she strongly broke it and threw it away. As the break happened she felt his body shake from pain as she heard him grunt. _Merde! He's awake. _She moved his body so his back would be against the wall and repositioned herself into a more comfortable hurried up and reached for the feather tipped part of the arrow but she felt a hand stop her. It was not a strong hold but it was still a hold nonetheless. Altaïr's head slowly lifted up and his eyes opened.

"I'm sorry, I have to do this now." She told him in a whisper. She gripped the other side of the arrow with the same force and looked into his eyes, she gave him a nod and pulled the arrow out. As she did, she felt his left arm grab her free one with unbelievable force. She yelped in surprised but shook it away fast, as she brought down his hood and tried to remove the tunic as best as she could. When she did, she applied some medicine on both sides of the wound and hurried to apply some on the piece of clothing to then wrap it around his shoulder. The process was long as she tried not to hurt him. The upper part of his tunic had been removed, leaving him shirtless. The cape she wore that day was now wrapped tightly around his shoulder as she finished wrapping it around. His breathing was fast throughout the whole thing but had calmed down as she leaned against the opposite wall for a few seconds.

"Do you think you can walk?" she asked him and he nodded. She approached him and helped him put his tunic back on as she avoided to hurt him too much in the process. She let him get up alone since he had started to get up on his own. But she saw him stumble and she reached for him but he shoved her away. He threw a glare at her.

"Look, we need to make sure the wound doesn't get infected. You are going to have to let me help you!" she snapped under breath, trying not yell. They looked at each other for a few seconds before she reached for him and wrapped an arm around his waist as he placed, reluctantly, his arm around her shoulders. To make things harder, the alarm was still going off and the guard were still on high alert.

"I'm sorry." She whispered only so he could hear it. He didn't say anything, "I'm sorry, this is my fault." She whispered again but he didn't answer. They walked for long minutes in the small streets until he pointed, with his free hand, to a ladder. This was not her bureau. They quickly walked up to it.

"Can you climb it alone or…" he looked at her she understood as she climbed up the wall and waited for him at the top. After a few minutes he reached the top and she helped him. Now climbing down. To her surprise he simply let himself fall down as she hurried to join him. She watched as he simply dragged himself to pillows and rested his body on them. She didn't hear anyone come so she slowly walked to the entrance of the bureau office and saw the black haired man reading something. He had heard steps but as he opened his mouth and lifted his head he was surprised to see the girl standing there.

"You again? What are you doing here? It is forbidden for you to-" he stopped talking when he noticed the amount of blood on her hands and face, "Are you injured?" he asked as walked from behind his counter and walked up to her.

She nodded, "Slightly. It can wait but he," she walked to the courtyard," can't." she said as the Rafiq walked up to Altaïr.

He turned to her, "There is a cage with birds. Get one for me please." He told her as she went inside the office, the man right behind her. She approached the cage and reached for a bird while the man had gone behind his counter and had taken a small piece of parchment out and scribbled something on it. She approached him with the bird and he tied the small piece of parchment to its leg. From there she guessed that she had to release the bird and she ran to the courtyard and let the bird fly away. She hesitantly walked back to the entrance of the office and stood in the entrance. She watched as the man lifted his head up and looked at her. The long stare he gave her made her turn her head around and look everywhere but him.

Her hood was down. Although he had seen her without the hood on, it was for a very short time. Her previously light brown hair was tied at the back of her head but they were now loose and falling on her shoulders. The length of her hair amazed Malik. She had beautiful tanned skin but not excessively. It was a honey coloured tan that suited her. A sharp but perfect shaped nose seemed to give her authority. His eyes fell down on her lips, light pink and heart-shaped lips. He tried not to linger too much on her lips as his eyes traveled down her body. He had imagined that a woman who did this job would have a different body frame or structure than a normal woman but no. She had a very small frame. She was shorter than both Altaïr and himself. Her tunic hugged her body but not too much either. He looked at her once again. She was definitely beautiful. He also noticed that she did not have a sword. Only her hidden blade, a sharp blade, a crossbow and many throwing knives but no sword. He watched her wound on her head and the ones on her knuckles. She hadn't complained yet.

"What happened?" he asked, her head turning towards him.

She sighed and explained to him all that happened. From her following him, to trying to catch Talal, to a guard slowing her down, to losing sight of Altaïr, then finding him after he killed Talal, to arguing and then to this, to him saving her.

After her long explanation he looked at her with slight surprise. Altaïr had saved someone. He risked his life for a girl. A girl he knew irritated him. He watched the girl and saw the guilt written all over her face.

"What is going to happen?" she asked.

"I sent word to the healer of the city. She should be arriving soon." She nodded and waited, "but I believe you meant, what is going to happen to you?" he asked.

She nodded, "Yes."

"After you were brought here yesterday, I had to send a report and I have received a response from my Master…" he told her.

"And…?"

He sighed, "You are to return with Altaïr after his task but since he's injured, it will have to wait until he is well. Our Master wishes to speak with you." He said as she nodded. _If mother hears of this…I'm dead. _

She nodded. She walked around the office, trying to think of something. Malik looked at her, a sudden sadness overcoming him. This girl was not in her land, someone who despised her had saved her life, he was injured in the process and now, she was probably in trouble. He felt bad for her. Malik felt like he, at least, should tell her his name…to at least make her more comfortable. Which was something he never did.

"My name is Malik."

Her head abruptly turned towards him, surprised. She could see from his face that this wasn't something he did all the time. She watched him and smiled sweetly.

"Thank you, Malik." She said. Malik felt weak at the knees all of a sudden. _Was it her smile? Or the way she said my name? _He shook away these thoughts as a 'thump' was heard and they both walked to the courtyard. A young woman wearing a dark gray tunic had entered. She looked over at Altaïr and her eyes widened.

"Him?" she asked. Malik nodded, "I'm surprised it is him."

While the young woman checked on his wound, Malik explained what had happened and the woman made eye contact with Hessa and smiled.

"I'm Amina." She said.

"Hessa." She smiled as Amina went back to work.

A few minutes had passed and Hessa was now sitting down on the floor watching as Amina worked on Altaïr wound. Malik had gone back inside.

"Where are you from, Hessa?" Amina asked.

Hessa hesitated but answered, "Persia. City of Shiraz."

"You come from far away my friend. What has brought you here? So far away from your land." Amina asked

"Work has but…my trip took a different turn." She said as she smiled weakly. Amina looked down to her Hessa's hands.

She nodded, "Your knuckles. What happened to them?"

"When I tried to open the wooden door. It seems I hit quite hard." She said hiding them. Amina looked at her head, "And that is from being pushed by him." She pointed to Altaïr.

Amina shook her head disapprovingly; "He will have to learn how to better treat women if he wants to get married one day. Well it seems he doesn't like when a woman is hurt in any shape or way. Even if he dislikes her." She said.

"At least we know he's not completely heartless." Hessa said while Amina laughed.

"I believe Altaïr needs a woman like you. A woman with a good head on her shoulders and one who is not afraid to stand up to him." Amina said.

Hessa laughed quietly, "Too bad for him because there aren't many women quite like me in this world." She joked making Amina double with laughter.

Amina suddenly grew quiet, "I am sad for him," Hessa looked at her questioningly," he's changed so much. He doesn't laugh or smile anymore. He doesn't tease. All that matters to him is the killing…"

Hessa watched her become sadder and sadder. Her curiosity increased with every word Amina spoke. _She knows him pretty well…_

"I don't want him to forget that there are other things aside from killing. That he can be much more than an assassin. That he is destined for other things. He could be a good friend, mentor, lover, husband and father...only if he knew how to…" Amina looked at Hessa, "I'm so sorry, I'm rambling too much." She laughed awkwardly.

"No, no, it's fine. You seem to know him very well…" Hessa stated.

"I do. Malik, Altaïr and I were childhood friends. They were like brothers to me." Amina said, a small smile creeping on her lips as she thought of the memory. Amina turned to Hessa, "You did a very good job with cleaning the wound. The bandage was clean enough but I simply changed it. Malik!" She called Malik and soon he was in the courtyard.

"I'm done. He should be fine. You know Altaïr, a few days of rest and he'll be just fine. No fighting, running or climbing." Amina told Malik who nodded and looked at Altaïr, a discouraged look on his face.

"Thank you, Amina." Malik smiled at the young woman who smiled back. Amina got up and packed her medicine back, "It was nice meeting you, Hessa." She bowed her head to Hessa. She did the same.

"What am I to do?" Hessa asked turning to Malik as Amina left.

"Would you mind buying some food? I'm quite busy at the moment and I believe that when HE," he pointed to Altaïr, "wakes up, he will be hungry. I believe you probably are?" he asked.

She nodded, "Just a little bit. I don't eat much. But I will go and buy the food." She said.

She followed him inside the office as he went behind the counter to grab a pouch. He handed it to her, "There should be enough money in it to by all that is needed." He told her as she took it and turned her back to him, "Come back."

She turned around and laughed lightly, "I wasn't going to run away." She said.

He smirked, "We never know."

* * *

><p>After she had left, bought the supplies, food and came back, she was welcomed with a certain grumpy assassin. Needless to say he wasn't really happy with the whole situation. When she fell down the entrance with the supplies and food, she heard a grunt. Altaïr had awoken minutes before she arrived and it seemed like he wasn't too happy. As soon as Hessa's figure became clear, his eyebrows furrowed.<p>

"What are you doing here?" he yelled.

She responded calmly with, "I brought you back here." Her voice was calm and had a silky tone to it that took him by surprise. _I'm yelling at her and yet, she's ! Get mad at me! Do something! _He thought as she took the basket of food and brought it in the office calmly. He watched her as she walked slowly in the office, his gaze never leaving her body as she did.

Hessa walked in and dropped the heavy basket on the counter as Malik saw her come in. He watched her sigh, "If I knew it would have been this heavy…I would have ran away." She said.

He chuckled, "I see someone knows you're here."

"And he's not too happy about it either." She grimly noted.

"Don't worry, he'll warm up to you eventually." He said.

"No I won't!" Altaïr's voice was heard. There he was, standing in the doorway, holding his shoulder in pain. Hessa's first reflex was to run to him and try to convince him to lay down but he backed away the moment she moved. She felt hurt by that but convinced herself that it was normal, that she had deserved it.

"Stubborn man. Go back and lay down, Amina said to be careful!" Malik semi-shouted. Hessa found herself to be surprised with the sudden change of mood. The two men were throwing death glares at each other. She felt the tension rise as they glared at each other.

"You should lay down." She told Altaïr as he glared at her but something in the way she looked at him made him…_No._ He wasn't angry anymore but annoyed. He simply limped back and she caught him, sliding her arm around his waist. He looked down at her, realizing how small she was. She didn't dare to look up but she still did.

"Tell me if I'm interrupting." A teasing voice asked. She turned her head around to see Malik smirk. She helped Altaïr back to the courtyard. After a few tries she was able to lay him down on the pillows. She stood for a few seconds in front of him and turned her back to him, going back into the office. Whatever had happened between Malik and him, it was something Malik still felt upset about.

"I apologize. You didn't have to see this." Malik said, his voice extremely low.

"It's alright." She said as she helped him stack all the food and supplies.

"You must be wondering what it was all about." He said, his tone clearly uncomfortable with subject. Hessa had just realized but they were whispering to each other.

"Yes, but in time I will know. And I believe now is not the time." She said, a small smile tugging the corner of her lips. While she stacked the rest of the food, he simply went back to his work.

Night came quickly and soon, it was time to sleep. She lifted her head up, away from the book she was reading, when Malik's soft voice sprung her out of her thoughts.

"I'm off to sleep." He told her.

"Oh, yes. Goodnight." She told him.

He smiled, "There's another bed in here or if you wish to sleep outside, you may." He told her as he tried to restrain a yawn but was unsuccessful in doing so.

"Thank you." She said as he left to go to bed.

She looked around the bureau, looking for something to do and finding nothing interesting. She looked out in the courtyard and saw Altaïr's feet. She wondered if he was sleeping. She slowly walked up to the courtyard's doorway and peaked. There he was, sleeping with a hand on his stomach and the other one at his side. His hood was falling down and she could see his face. She hadn't noticed the strong jawline he had. She had the sudden urge to walk up to him and trace it but she restrained herself. She saw him stir and she moved away from the door frame but remained when she saw he simply sighed heavily. She got closer, book now in hand, and laid on the ground, placing a few pillows behind her back for her to be comfortable. She looked at Altaïr and back to her book, her eyes allowing themselves to return to the story she was reading.

* * *

><p>The sun rose early the next morning as it disrupted Altaïr from his slumber. He grunted as he tried to turn too fast only to be reminded, from the jolt of pain he felt, that his shoulder was indeed injured. The bureau was silent, as it always was in the morning. But something was different. As he looked around the courtyard, he noticed a small figure sleeping in a somewhat uncomfortable position or so he thought. He also noticed the book in her hands. <em>She reads…<em>He found that interesting. He looked at her sleeping figure and…_If she could stay like this then maybe I wouldn't despise her. _He grinned at the thought. He hadn't slept that well in a long time. He heard fidgeting in the office and he tried getting up but couldn't. As he abandoned getting up he grunted as the pain started to become unbearable. He heard a moan. He turned his head curiously to her sleeping figure. She let out a long sigh before opening her eyes, her icy blue eyes looking around the courtyard before her gaze set itself on his body. She then closed and opened her eyes. She covered her mouth as she yawned and passed a hand through her hair. She slowly sat up and stretched. _Why am I watching her every move? _Altaïr thought as he watched Hessa get up and walk in the office.

She walked in the office to find no one but heard fidgeting in the back room of the bureau. She slowly walked towards it, being careful of her steps. As she approached the doorway she heard a frustrated grunt coming from inside the room, her eyebrows furrowed and she slowly walked in. Her eyes analyzed the room quickly before setting themselves upon Malik's shirtless figure. His back facing her, he was struggling to wrap a clean bandage around his amputated arm. _This must be a daily struggle…_She watched him try and try for a few minutes until he threw the bandages on his unmade bed. He sighed heavily and turned around as his breath caught in his throat from surprise.

"How long have you been there?" he asked as he avoided eye contact with her.

"A few minutes." She answered honestly.

He sighed, "You must think I'm pathetic…"

"Don't!," she said," You are not pathetic." She strictly said as he lifted his head up from surprise. He watched her as she made her way over to him and took the thrown bandages in her hands. She approached his arm but he backed away a bit.

"I don't bite." She said as he let her bandage his arm as he stood there, "Why are all men this way? This 'I can't show I struggle because I'm a man' crap is getting annoying." She complained as he stifled a small laugh. _This isn't the first time she deals with men it seems…_He thought as she finished wrapping it around. Without saying a word she reached for his tunic and helped him get dressed. Malik couldn't understand himself…he never let a woman approach him, other than Amina, but he let her bandage his arm and dress him.

"I feel like a child." He mumbled as she slowly lifted her head up looking at his shy face. She chuckled and finished wrapping the red sash around his waist. He felt a knot in his stomach when her arms went around his neck, fixing his hood. The closeness of their bodies didn't seem to bother her at all as she looked over his tunic making sure everything was in place. He swallowed when he slightly felt her chest press against his but released a long sigh when she backed away. She reached for the black robe he wore on top of his tunic and walked up to him, helping him putting it on.

"Don't you have more of those?" she asked as she straightened the robe.

"Yes, I do but I seem to lack the energy to sew the left sleeve on any of them." He chuckled shyly as he told her.

She bit her lower lip, "Where are they?" she asked.

He pointed over a chest, "In that chest.," he told her as she went to it, "What are you doing?"

"I'm, "she took the stack, "going to sew the sleeves so you'll have other robes." She said as she walked out of his room as he followed her.

"You-you don't have to." He told her.

She smiled, "I know but I want to…and plus I'm not leaving until grumpy over there is any better. It'll give me something to do." She said as she found all the material to sew. She walked out in the courtyard with the robes in one hand and the sewing material in another one. She placed herself on the pillows under the curious stare of Altaïr but as she was about to start, she stopped.

"MALIK!" she yelled. Steps were heard as his figure was seen in the doorway.

"Yes?" he asked.

"May I have your robes so I can measure the sleeve so it'll have the same measurements?" she asked.

He looked puzzled for a second and took off his robe and handed it to her, " Here."

"Thank you." She said as he went back inside the bureau

She took a look at Altaïr who still stared at her and she directly turned her gaze to her work. He watched her carefully as she did her work on Malik's robes. He sighed.

_This is going to be a long recovery…_

* * *

><p>"Are you sure you are going to be fine with your injury?" Malik asked Altaïr.<p>

"Yes." He answered glaring slightly at Malik.

Malik scoffed, "Make sure Hessa isn't injured. The Master wishes her to be alive and well. You are to treat her with the same care you would treat yourself."

Altaïr grunted.

_I don't have time for baby-sitting. _

He turned his back to Malik and entered the courtyard where Hessa was waiting for him. She looked at him with a stern look on her face. During his recovery, they didn't get along quite well and the tension kept building up. They had fought every minute of every time they were in the same room, only when she was busy or out that the fights never occurred. Malik walked towards Hessa.

"Be careful out there. And it was definitely nice to meet you." He told her as he smiled.

She smiled back, "Thank you for everything." She told him. During the few days she had spent there, she had discovered in Malik a good friend and a great listener. It made her forget that she missed her home…

She turned her back to him and climbed the wall leading to the exit of the bureau first. Altaïr climbed after her and faced her back as he lifted himself up.

"Follow me." Was all he said as he climbed down the façade of the wall and as she followed in his steps. She grimaced and followed Altaïr throughout the streets of Jerusalem. She was being careful to keep a good distance between them for one, they didn't want to alert the guards and for two, she didn't want to be near him at all.

The city was busy today. The merchants screaming here and there about their prices being the best, children playing and running around and of course, beggars asking for money constantly. It was definitely a busy day and they were thankful for that. The guards were busy watching all the beggars, making sure they wouldn't steal which meant they could walk quite freely around the city without alarming any guards…unless they alarmed the guards themselves.

They soon arrived to the city's entrance where a few guards were posted as Altaïr stopped abruptly and she bumped into his back as she had not seen him stop. He instinctively reached for her arm, being careful so she wouldn't fall. He caught her arm, still not facing her, and he made sure she was standing still. When she was, he turned his head to the side and watched her for a second before continuing his route, her on his heels. He saw a group of scholars close by the gates and took his chance but stopped remembering that her tunic was far from being white.

"I found my way out but I have to find yours…" he mumbled so she could be the only one to hear.

She bit her lower lip, "Go now. I should be out in a few minutes." Was all she said as she turned around and left him there. _Women. I will never understand them. _

He walked to the group of scholars and took position in the middle of them. He walked out easily as he walked to the stables and got his horse. _Can she ride a horse? Probably… _

Altaïr wondered as he took place on the saddle and walked closer to the gates, waiting for her but also making sure he kept a safe distance from it. They would go and get her a horse after she would arrive. After a few minutes he finally saw her making her way on the wooden beams on top of the guards. He watched her carefully as she moved from beam to beam. He got closer to where she could let herself fall down easily and waited.

"You there! With the white robes. Come closer!" a guard yelled from far away as he left his post. Altaïr tensed and watched as she saw the guard coming closer to him. He saw her hurrying her steps and she finally arrived close to him but instead of jumping on the ground, she jumped from her perch onto the horse as her arms tightly wrapped themselves around his waist.

"Go!" she whispered loudly as her arms gripped themselves tighter around his waist.

He made sure she was holding on tightly and it wasn't long before they found themselves far away and well on their way to Masyaf. After making sure they were safe enough to slow down, Altaïr slowed the horse's pace down by a lot. Slowly as the pace went down, she carefully released her strong grip around Altaïr waist as she felt his body relax but not fully. She smirked when she realized that it was her whom made him tense. They stayed in complete silence as the ride went on.

"Are you comfortable?" his voice surprised her but something in his voice made her tick. He wasn't asking because he was actually cared about her comfort, he only asked because Malik had probably told him to. Or so she thought.

"You don't have to pretend to be nice."

Something in her voice actually made him wonder if she cared about him caring or not. The way her tone changed in a matter of seconds when she said that one sentence made him realize that she knew he despised her and he actually wondered how she felt knowing someone despised her. When she was welcomed with silence, she continued.

"But if you must know…I could be more comfortable but I will be fine for a while." She says, "I presume we will set camp later in the day." She stated.

"Yes." Was all he said.

For more than an hour the ride was silent. Altaïr watching left and right of the road while Hessa secured herself by holding the side of Altaïr's tunic. The day was getting hotter by the hour and she was getting tired.

As he rode, Altaïr felt something press against his back and he slightly looked back and noticed that her cheek was pressing against his back as she tried not to close her eyes. He smirked and stopped the horse. She abruptly stood straight.

"Are we stopping?" she asked.

He nodded and she got off the horse. He got off seconds after her.

"Get back on it." He tried to say as nice as he could…which for him sounded more like an order. She looked at him and got back on the horse. She felt him get back on it…behind her. She automatically grabbed the reins and she felt his hands getting on top of hers as he positioned himself better on the horse. Slowly the tiredness from earlier slowly found its way back to her and she fought the urge to lean back against his chest every time she felt herself dozing off.

Eventually she couldn't fight the urge and let herself lean back into Altaïr's chest as she dozed off to sleep. Altaïr carefully positioned her to make sure she wouldn't fall off the horse and he kept going for hours.

* * *

><p>Hessa felt something shaking her gently as she slowly opened her eyes to see dark all around. Had she been sleeping all day? She sat up straight but still felt his grip on her waist. She looked around them trying to adjust her eyes to the darkness. She yawned and tried stretching from the difficult position she was in.<p>

"We'll be setting camp." Altaïr's voice whispered in her ear as she nodded.

Minutes later they were near an oasis and came to an halt. He got off the horse first and proposed his hand, in an awkward manner, to Hessa. She gently took it and got off the horse herself. He let go of her hand and started setting up camp.

"I'll go and look for wood." She said.

"Come-"

"Come back…I know." She said as she left to go and get the wood.

It took Hessa only a few minutes to retrieve the wood necessary and to come back to the camp Altaïr had now set up. He barely looked at her when she came back and she placed the wood on the ground. She sat down on the ground as he picked up the wood and started a fire.

"Are you hungry?" he asked her.

She looked at him, "I'm fine." She said as she thanked him for asking. He shook his head and they sat in silence for long minutes before she started to move and reached for a blanket before laying down on another one near the fire and covering herself with it. He watched her breathing slowing down until he knew she was asleep. He let out a low chuckle and kept guard.

* * *

><p>Early the next day, they were gone back on the road. The night had been calm and so was the next morning. The day was passing by quite fast as Hessa patted the neck of the white horse. She felt her stomach growl and immediately held a hand to it as she sighed. Altaïr noticed the gesture and stared at the back of her head for a few minutes before saying something.<p>

"If you are hungry, there is some food left in the pouch on your left." His deep voice interrupted her thoughts as she jumped a bit. She looked straight ahead and slowly her hand made its way towards the pouch. She took a piece of bread out and started to munch on it, a tiny bite at a time. Altaïr observed the way the young woman ate and found it abnormally interesting.

"How long until we get to Masyaf?" Hessa asked.

He looked at his surroundings, "If we keep this pace up, we'll arrive before sunset."

"Better keep the pace up then." She said as she looked at him from the side. He suppressed a scoff and simply stared off in the distance.

When she finished eating her piece of bread, her hands immediately went back on the rein she had previously been holding. His hand went back on hers as he remembered a unique fact of hers. As he was holding onto her hand, he felt emptiness, the same he has, when one of his fingers gently touched her hand, more precisely…her missing finger. He tried not to make it too obvious that he was actually touching it just to feel it. His curiosity taking the best of him.

She watched his hand and lightly shook her head as she chuckled under her breath.

"What's so funny?"

She refrained herself from jumping at the sound of his voice so near her ear.

"Nothing. Simply observing." She said.

"Is observing funny? If it is, you're mad, woman." he said.

She let out a huge sigh, "Hessa." She almost snapped.

He furrowed his eyebrows, "What?" he asked exasperatedly.

"I've got a name. Stop calling me 'woman'." She snapped under her breath.

_The nerve she has to talk like this. _

He smirked, "Fine."

She shook her head as she sighed, "Fine."

They fell silent for the rest of their journey to Masyaf, riding for hours until she finally saw a wooden fence. Although the sun had disappeared she could see it. Behind it was Masyaf, at least she believed that was it.

"We are here. Do not speak to anyone. Let ME talk and…follow me." He almost growled in her ear.

From the moment they had gotten off the horse to the moment they walked into the actual brotherhood, people and assassins stared at Altaïr and his 'companion'. She simply stared at the ground and followed Altaïr to the best of her ability, without looking. She kept silent, just like he ordered, until he made her climb up stairs and he stopped her.

"No matter what the Master says, you shall be respectful and do NOT interrupt him. You will only speak when he says so." Altaïr warned her, finger in her face.

Pushing his finger away from her face, she said, "Do not worry. I know how it is. Before I became Master, I had my Master."

He frowns, "Fine."

Altaïr turned his back to her and was starting to climb the last few stairs but she stopped him. He turned around and furrowed his eyebrows, "What?"

"There's a high possibility that he will kill me…am I right?"

The question slightly stunned Altaïr but he showed no emotion, "Yes."

"Thank you." Was all she said before he turned his back to her and he walked up the stairs, her steps close behind his.

"Ah, Altaïr, I see you have arrived and in good health. Not only that but you have one less name on your list." Al Mualim told Altaïr.

"Yes, Master." Altaïr simply said.

Al Mualim nodded and shifted his gaze to take a look at Hessa, who stood beside Altaïr, head down, "I heard you would bring me a visitor."

"Yes, Master."

"Come forward, child." The Master said.

Hessa took three medium steps forward, "Lift your head up." He continued.

She did, "What his your name?" Al Mualim asked.

"Hessa."

"Hessa…what?"

She looked at him, straight in the eyes, "I have no last name."

He walked around his desk, "Where are you from?"

"Persia. City of Shiraz."

A deep chuckle left his throat, "A Persian friend, I see. Explains the accent. Tell me more."

"I'm the daughter of Afsar and Arman. Both from the City of Shiraz."

"Stop there, child." She froze as he continued, "You are THE daughter of _Lady_ Afsar and _Lord_ Arman?" _Ah, so that's why he stopped. _

"Yes." Was all she said as she could feel the curious stare of Al Mualim and Altaïr.

"Well, now that I find myself with this information, I will need more time to overthink the _decision _I will make. You be our guest for tonight, tomorrow morning I shall give you my final decision. Altaïr, she will stay in your quarters, " She heard Altaïr growl, "make sure she is comfortable. You are not to be alone on the grounds of our _brother_hood. Understood?" Al Mualim said.

"Yes." "Yes." Both Altaïr and her spoke at the same time.

"Tomorrow morning, after breakfast, come to my office. My decision will be made." He said, "Altaïr, you are restored a rank. Take this my child and make good use of it. Both of you…go."

She bowed and turned her back to the old man, waiting for Altaïr to lead the way. When he walked by her, she simply followed him. When she looked up again, they were somewhere in the brotherhood. She let out a slight sigh of relief.

"You're not dead." Altaïr's deep voice made her jump.

She took a breath and said, "Yet."

He stopped dead in his tracks and turned his head around, only his lips and sharp shaped nose visible, "Why do you think you will die?"

"Why do you care?" she said.

"I do not care, you simply seem certain of the path this will lead you to. To death." He stated, still looking at her. She removed her hood and looked up to Altaïr.

"Because I gave him a reason to want me dead." Was all she said as Altaïr turned around towards a door, dropping his hand on it and turning the doorknob. He entered first, leaving Hessa to close the door.

The last thing Altaïr said was, "Take the bed. I think you would want to be comfortable to sleep…especially if you think this is your last night." He sarcastically said as she scoffed and removed her weapons, tunic and undid her the tie around her hair. She took place on the bed and closed her eyes, welcoming sleep…like an old friend.

* * *

><p><em><strong>The next morning<strong>_

Hessa stood in front of Al Mualim with hands behind her back, hood down and knot in her stomach as she awaited his _decision. _Altaïr stood behind her, staring at her back, making her all the more uncomfortable. Al Mualim paced for a few seconds around his office, making the situation even more stressful and unbearable for her. The way he would look at her from time to time and take a good look at her, up and down. Staring at her weapons, her figure and all that she was. Her icy blue eyes kept staring at the Master whom never stopped pacing. She looked down for a second until the Master's voice forced her to bring her head back up.

"I have reached a decision…"

* * *

><p><strong>First of all: OMG SO SORRY GUYS! I feel so bad that I didn't post for such a long time! I hope this will satisfy you all! <strong>

**SECOND OF ALL: ****I deeply apologize for the weird English structure. English is not my first language and thus, it sucks. French is my first language. And since I speak mostly French and write in French, I lost a lot of my English structure over the time I didn't write this fic. **

**THIRD of all: I had a huge writer's block and it was a pain in the butt. **

**FOURTH of all: (Doesn't make sense I know but...yeah.) I took Persia and that City simply because I needed a place to name and I had been searching for so long and eventually got pissed. Also the names of Afsar, Hessa's mother, and Arman, Hessa's father, are Persian name, from what I know of. As far as I know, Afsar means Leader or Commander and Arman means something along the lines of Man in the Army. So that's it for this.**

**Uh, uh, what else? OH YEAH! **

**!VERY IMPORTANT!**

**This story is _based_ on the first Assassin's Creed game but I will not do _ALL_ the missions given to Altair by Al Mualim. I will, obviously, write and put some of them in but not all. I already have a huge draft of this story written along with a very probable draft for a ****_sequel_****, if all goes well. **

**I will concentrate a lot more on the developing the relationship between Hessa and Altair. And obviously, it will develop while on missions but also outside missions. So do not expect all assassination targets to be present in this story. BUT the main story will still be there. **

**ALSO! COPYRIGHT: I do not own Assassin's Creed or any games or characters or story line etc. My OC'S are mine and the story line that has no connection to the game also, although it is based off the game. Don't sue me, simply borrowing for fun. All of this belongs to UBISOFT.**

**AND OBVIOUSLY, enjoy! :D **

**R&R PLEASE! No bashing. Constructive comments are very well appreciated. **


	5. Chapter IV

GAINED & GIVEN

CHAPTER IV – Ridiculous

_Masyaf_

Hessa was following Altaïr down the stairs after Al Mualim had told them of his decision. A decision which still shocked both assassins. What was she supposed to do now? Follow Altaïr like a lost puppy? It wasn't exactly like that but that's how it felt like.

The very next day they would have to leave to go to Damascus. And thus, she would try to wash up before leaving. Especially knowing how missions usually are. No sleep, barely any food, no rest and no bathing. But those were the stakes and this was her job, she couldn't complain.

"I'll bring you to Baha. She's the one who takes care of the women here." Altaïr said, sounding distant when he actually was right next to her. She simply nodded as they walked outside in direction of the village. People were whispering and staring even more as they walked through a crowd of assassins and peasants. It barely took five minutes before they arrived at a house with its door open to visitors. Altaïr entered first and slightly bowed before introducing Hessa to a woman, older than her. The older woman sat on the floor, mixing something, some herbs, in a pot. She had long brown hair falling loose on her shoulders, hazel eyes and a face, which held a lot of experience, pain and sadness. The woman, Baha, lifted her head up and smiled while looking at Altaïr.

"Ah, Altaïr. You're back." Her sweet voice said as she stopped what she was doing.

He nodded, "Yes, Baha."

"I heard you were injured." She simply stated.

"I was well taken care of by Amina."

Baha smiled, "I'm sure you were."

Baha noticed the small figure standing beside Altaïr and continued, "Who do you bring to me?"

Altaïr turned his head around and looked at Hessa whom stood there with her hood on her head and head down.

"An assassin who needs to be well taken care of." Altaïr said, not meaning a word he said. He couldn't care less if she was well taken care of or not.

"Shouldn't you bring assassins to Akeem?" she asked.

Altaïr spoke to Hessa, saying, "Take your hood off."

Although she wouldn't have originally done it, she still brought her hand up to her hood and grabbed it tightly, taking it off as her long light brown hair became visible to Baha who sat there, surprised.

"I see now," she started, "Leave her to me. I'll take care of her." She ended as she lifted her hand towards Hessa and gestured to her to come closer. Altaïr moved out of the way and let Hessa walk closer to Baha.

"Altaïr, you can go now. I'll send someone when I'm done." Baha ended as she sent a look towards Altaïr, the latter simply nodding and leaving.

Hessa looked at the place where Altaïr stood before looking back to Baha who smiled up at her, still sitting on the floor.

"Come closer, child," Baha gestured Hessa to sit down next to her. Which is what Hessa did, "How old are you?"

"I'm twenty four."

"So young, so beautiful, so unique and yet you do this job which, here, is an unusual sight." Baha chuckled as she got up to get a wet cloth and came back, sitting next to Hessa. She brought the cloth to Hessa's face and started to clean the dust and dirt off of it. Hessa noticed the way Baha stared at her, straight in the eyes.

"You have quite a unique eye color my dear." Baha said.

Hessa smiled lightly, "I have been told."

"I would like to apologize on Altaïr's behalf if he wasn't the most gentle man." She said as she dropped the cloth on the floor.

"Thank you. I'm not surprised by his behaviour." Hessa said, her voice now sounding weak to the ears of Baha.

Baha smiled as she went into another room for a while, before coming back, "I poured some hot water for you to bathe. My daughter will be helping you wash."

Hessa was about to protest, "She doesn't hav-"

"I know but she loves to help me," Baha started before walking towards a staircase, "Baraah! Come down, darling." She yelled. Footsteps were heard and a beautiful young girl with dark brown hair, light green eyes and a thin body frame came down.

"Yes, mother?"

Hessa got up as Baha walked up to her, "This is Hessa. An assassin whom will be staying here in Masyaf. Altaïr clearly told me that she has to be well taken care of."

Baraah bowed, "Yes, of course."

"I poured a bath for her. You will help her, hm?" Baha asked her daughter.

Baraah smiled, "Of course, mother." She then turned to Hessa, "You can go into the room, undress and leave your tunic on the desk. Get in the basin and I will be with you soon." Baraah said.

Hessa walked to the room and closed the door. She removed her weapons, tunic and everything else until she was left with nothing. Standing in the middle of the room, naked. She approached the basin filled with hot water and slowly got in, one foot at a time. She then sat in the basin, the water almost up to her shoulders as she let herself really relax for the first time in a few days.

* * *

><p>Altaïr walked back to the fortress and went to see Akeem, the assassin's caretaker. He walked in to see Akeem taking care of the arm of an assassin. <em>Broken arm probably. <em>Akeem heard steps and swiftly turned his head around to smile at the sight of Altaïr.

"Ah! Altaïr! What a great surprise! Come in, come in. Al Mualim told me you were injured. How so?" Akeem spoke as he let the assassin leave, passing by Altaïr as he bowed. Akeem gestured Altaïr to sit on the bed. Altaïr walked slowly to the bed and sat on it as he removed the top of his tunic.

"It's a long story Akeem, a very long and burdensome story." Altaïr sighed.

Akeem let out a low chuckle, "Is the woman my wife is currently taking care of in that story?" he asked.

"How did you know?" Altaïr asked while Akeem removed the dirty bandage on the right side of his chest. Altaïr slightly winced.

"News travel fast here." Akeem smirked as he cleaned the healing wound while applying a dark green liquid on it, "So it is true? A woman who is an assassin?"

"It seems so. It seems that in her land…women assassins are common." Altaïr stated as Akeem took a piece of surgical dressing to bandage the wound.

"Not here though."

"It shouldn't even be allowed." Altaïr growled, the idea of a woman doing the same job as his was simply crazy. He shook his head as a picture of Hessa ran through his mind.

"Why do you say so?" Akeem dared to ask.

"Women don't have as much endurance or skills as men do when it comes to this." Altaïr said.

Akeem continued, "Well…I believe that although they may not have the same skills or strength as a man, they have some advantages by being a woman."

Altaïr scoffed, "What 'advantages'?

"The advantage of seducing a man. A man is more likely to trust a beautiful woman with unique traits then trusting a man. She can acquire information that you definitely cannot." Akeem said as he finished bandaging Altaïr as he cleaned the contour of his bandage.

Altaïr sat there, "If you say so."

Akeem laughed loudly, "Ah child, are you afraid a beautiful woman will do a better job than you?"

Altaïr growled, "No!"

Akeem decided to keep teasing Altaïr, "Or are you afraid to fall in love with this woman?"

Altaïr abruptly turned his head towards the caretaker, "Love is not possible for an assassin like me and," Altaïr paused, "she is not as beautiful as you say. You didn't even see her." He started to put his tunic back on him as Akeem spoke again.

"Well, if she has you on edge like this…I believe she has some kind of effect on you and thus she must be beautiful, child," Akeem said, seriously, "Now, go. You have to rest. I heard you are leaving tomorrow." He said, almost literally pushing Altaïr out of the infirmary.

Altaïr bowed and left, a thousand thoughts on his mind.

* * *

><p>"Where are you from, my lady?" Baraah asked as Hessa frowned at her calling her 'my lady'.<p>

"Just call me Hessa." She told Baraah, a smile on her face.

"Where are you from, Hessa?" Baraah asked again, tiny smile on her face as she rubbed Hessa's back with a thick piece of cloth.

"City of Shiraz in Persia."

Baraah gasped, "You come from far!"

Hessa couldn't help herself and let out a heartfelt laugh, "Yes. Very far."

The young girl then furrowed her eyebrows, "And you came here with Altaïr?"

A sigh escaped Hessa's mouth, "A long story and most of it is my fault. I was being too curious and interfered with his mission. He then got injured and I brought him back to his bureau. And afterwards, the Rafiq had to alert Al Mualim, thus it obliged me to follow Altaïr." She explained quickly to the young girl.

"What do you think of him?" Baraah asked.

"Do you really want to know?" the young girl nodded, "I think he is rude, overconfident, arrogant and rough. Not gentle at all but…I cannot lie when I saw he is good at what he does."

Baraah laughed, "This is what everyone says of him when I ask."

Hessa scoffed, "He needs to work on his social skills."

"That he does." Baraah whispered until she continued talking, "May I say something? It may sound bold."

Hessa smiled, curiously, "Go ahead."

"You have beautiful eyes. I have never seen such a color on someone." Baraah said slightly shy.

"Thank you, Baraah." Hessa smiled as the young woman announced Hessa she was done washing her. Hessa hadn't notice that Baraah had also washed her hair. She smiled and got up as Baraah gave her a long piece of cloth to cover her body.

"My mother washed your tunic and thus we only have this for you now." Baraah told Hessa as she showed her a sort of light blue dress with long sleeves and something to cover her hair.

"It is alright." She told the young girl as she left the room, leaving Hessa to get dressed.

As she put the dress over her body, she found it oddly strange that the dress hugged her body as if it was made for her. She came out of the room and Baraah proposed to braid her hair. Accepting the offer, Hessa sat down on the ground, Baraah behind her, while the other young woman braided her hair. Baha came back into the room.

"I sent someone to fetch Altaïr. He should be here soon." She announced as Hessa nodded. None too happy about seeing Altaïr again.

* * *

><p>Altaïr walked back to the house where he had brought Hessa. A messenger had been sent to him minutes before to tell him that Baha was done with Hessa. He sighed as he walked slowly until he caught sight of the house. He climbed the stairs and knocked before entering the room where three women stood. He recognized Baha and her daughter, Baraah but when the third woman turned around, he was in shock to see Hessa, seeing as he didn't recognize her.<p>

Baha smiled, "Ah, Altaïr, there you are."

Altaïr bowed as Hessa let out a huge sigh. _If she was a peasant and not an assassin then maybe I wouldn't hate her…_Did he actually hater her? He did not know. Although he would never voice it, he had to admit, secretly, that she was a very beautiful woman. He eyed her, as secretly as possible, up and down. But it seemed only one person had noticed as his gaze shifted to Baha who smirked at him and sent him a subtle wink as he shook his head.

"She's all yours Altaïr. We will bring her dry tunic later during the day. " Baha said as she gave a slight push on Hessa's back. Hessa slowly walked to Altaïr as he tried to ignore the fact that he had been teased for looking at Hessa just a few seconds ago.

Hessa turned around and bowed, "Thank you. For everything." She thanked the women she hoped to see again. They smiled and bowed as she turned her back to them. She heard Altaïr mumble a small 'Thank you' towards the women before he lead the way, once again, towards the fortress. She kept her head down as they walked until they had reached the gates of the fortress. He noticed a few fellow assassins standing in a group, talking to each other until they noticed Altaïr with Hessa. They stopped and looked at them, a few assassins laughing. Altaïr knew how they were towards women…seeing as he usually had a similar behaviour towards them too but he had least had more respect.

"The great Altaïr having to take care of a mere woman who calls herself an assassin!" one of them, named Aasim, yelled as he laughed.

Hessa looked at him from her makeshift hood, "Who is he?" she whispered loud enough for Altaïr to hear. She saw him turned his head towards her for a few second.

"Aasim. He always hated me. Do not move or attack him. No matter how insulting he is." Was all Altaïr told her before he moved her so she'd be behind him, taking her wrist in his hand. She froze at his touch, surprise taking over her

"What do you want, Aasim?" Altaïr responded.

Aasim detached himself from the group and walked closer to Altaïr, "I'm simply wondering why the Master gave a protection task to a _novice _and not to me. I am a protector after all." He grinned as he ended his sentence, "I would be able to…_protect _her better than you ever would." He said, something shining in his eyes. Something Hessa recognized as lust.

_How disgusting. _She thought as she swallowed hard and stood straight. Altaïr's body was tense as he kept trying to put himself in front of her. _Je pense qu'il prend cette mission un peut trop au sérieux. Il n'est pas littéralement obliger de me protéger en tout temps._

"She deserves the best protection possible." Aasim said as he sent daggers through his look towards Altaïr.

Altaïr growled, "And the Master gave me that task."

"A foolish decision."

Altaïr smirked, "Are you calling our Master foolish, Aasim?"

Aasim grinned, "No. Just the decision he made."

Both men stared at each other until a voice broke them away from each other.

"AASIM! Come and take care of your assassins. They are making a ruckus!" a deep voice yelled as Aasim backed away and turned his back to Altaïr and Hessa. She felt Altaïr's hand leave her wrist as fast as it had gone there. He resumed his walk as she followed him until he stopped again.

"Where do you want to go?" he asked her.

"I'm quite hungry actually…I didn't eat as much as I wanted." She told him as he nodded.

He looked behind him then back at her, "You remember where the kitchen is?"

She nodded briefly, "Yes."

"Then go and afterwards either go in the garden or back in my quarters. I have something to do." He told her as he turned his back to her.

"Wait!" he stopped at the sound of her voice, "Where are you going?" she asked.

"There is something I need to take care of." He simply said as he was about to turn his back on her.

"Don't do anything stupid." She warned him. _The nerve of her. _He thought as he couldn't help himself but smirk.

"You wouldn't care." He told her as he walked back in front of her, the smirk still slightly visible on his face.

She thought for a second before saying, "I wouldn't but he," she pointed towards Al Mualim's office, "definitely would."

He eyed her then said, "Go eat."

She nodded as she left. He watched her as she went into an hallway leading to the kitchen. He then left.

* * *

><p><em>Later that night<em>

Altaïr had been preparing everything for the journey he and his new companion would start the very next day. And he had not seen an inch of Hessa ever since she left to go to the kitchen. He now sat in a chair, book in hand, wondering where she was. Should he have stayed with her? _Al Mualim gave her the right, as part of his decision, to wander within the brotherhood by herself. I don't have to always be there. _He thought as his eyes started to gaze from time to time towards the door. Waiting for her to come in.

As if on cue, she came in. Still wearing the dress and with something in her hands. Her cleaned tunic and weapons. She looked at him as he looked at her before returning his gaze on the book. She let out a sigh as she put down her tunic and weapons on the desk.

"Sorry I was gone for so long. I was in the garden and didn't see the time pass." She apologized without looking at him.

"You didn't need to apologize. I didn't need to know." He said as a matter of fact.

She sighed and turned to look at him, "I know…I'm sor-" she stopped and sat on the bed, "This is ridiculous." She said as she let a sarcastic laugh out.

He closed his book and laid it on his lap, "What is?"

"I was assigned as a…_partner_…and yet we barely communicate or talk. We don't trust each other and yet we have to do those missions together. How many of them again? Oh, yes, nine! And only three are dead. How long is this going to last? Weeks, months or a year before we are able to kill them? We better start gaining each other's trust if we are to do this together." She said as she looked at him, removing her makeshift hood almost out of anger.

He stayed silent for a few seconds, "I don't trust just _anyone._"

She scoffed, "You and I, both." She continued, "This is why it's going to be difficult. How can I trust someone who has shown nothing but hate towards me?"

Silence reigned over the two assassins. _This is going to be hard. _Hessa thought as she sighed, discouraged.

"I don't hate someone I don't know. I judge from the acts of the said person." He quietly said.

She looked at him, seeing only his lips from under the hood, "I don't either…you just…nothing. Never mind. I'm going to sleep." She told him as she undid the covers of the bed, not caring where Altaïr was going to sleep.

"Finish what you started." He said as his voice made her freeze.

Before she climbed in bed she looked at him, "You just," she hesitated, "made me feel hated by you. I'm not saying you actually hate me but the way you treated me made feel hated to the point where I believed my feelings." She said.

"You care?"

She scoffed, "Of course, I care! I may be an assassin but I still have feelings. Not only are we forced to work together but I just hate knowing someone may hate me for reasons I don't know." She said as she put a strand of her hair behind her ear. She nervously looked around the room before finishing undoing the covers for her to sleep.

"I don't _hate _you." He mumbled. Loud enough for her to hear.

"You just don't trust me…I get it. I don't trust you either." She stated instead of asking.

"Even after I saved your life two times?" he asked, no emotion in his voice.

She smirked, "It's not like you actually wanted to save my life. _Protect the innocent._" She said.

"You are far from being innocent." He said.

She chuckled as he, unknown to her, furrowed his eyebrows, "You haven't seen everything yet. A woman can be as lethal if not more than a man. It all depends on the situation." She said.

A slight grin appeared on his face as he stopped talking and she took that a cue for her to go to sleep. She got under the covers of the warm bed and closed her eyes. She battled with herself over something she wondered if she should say or not.

"Goodnight…Altaïr." She mumbled not too loud, closing her eyes tightly.

He lifted his head from the book he had just reopened and stared at Hessa's back as he shook his head, another grin appearing on his lips. She didn't wait for too long and let herself fall asleep.

* * *

><p>The next morning came very fast. Too fast even. Hessa woke up early in the morning to see Altaïr sleeping the chair, book open on his lap. She shook her head as she got up and walked towards her tunic and weapons. She slowly made her way towards another room, which had no door, connected to Altaïr's. She changed into her tunic and all of her weapons were now where they were supposed to. She folded the dress and walked back into the room as she put the folded dress on the desk where her tunic lay. She slowly walked towards Altaïr and risked herself at taking the book from his lap. She had learned from Baha that he was a very light sleeper and thus, he would know if she removed something. Surprisingly, she was able to take the book from his lap without him reacting as she made sure the feather that reminded him of the page he was reading was there. She closed the book at put in on the bed.<p>

"I'm awake." He's deep raspy voice said as she looked at him, surprise present as she tried not to show it. She walked away.

"I knew. Baha told me you were a light sleeper." She stated as she sat on the bed.

Altaïr opened his eyes and looked around as he saw that it was still slightly dark, "You are an early bird." He stated as he got up.

"I always was." Was all she said. She heard his footsteps behind her. She then saw his feet as he walked towards the door and opened it. She got up and followed him as they walked towards the kitchen.

"Do we have all the supplies?" she whispered as they walked through the hallways of the fortress.

"Yes. We just need more food." Was all he said as they arrived in the kitchen where a woman, Hessa saw the day before, was starting to cook food for the assassins.

She bowed to Altaïr who did the same as he went and talked to her before she took bread, fresh fruits and two canteen of water. She put bread and fruits in a pouch as she gave the pouch and canteens to Altaïr whom thanked her while turning his back on her as he walked back to Hessa, giving her a canteen. Hessa bowed to the woman who smiled at her. She then proceeded to follow Altaïr outside as they walked through the fortress and then the village. They arrived at the stables and he gestured a black horse to her while he made his way towards a white one. Her horse was already fitted with its saddle and reins as she hung the canteen to one of the bags already attached on the horse. She was petting the horse as she heard coughing. She turned around and saw Altaïr do the same as they noticed Baha and Akeem standing there.

"Leaving without saying goodbye?" Baha said as Altaïr let his head fall down for a mere second before walking towards Baha and Akeem.

"It is a long journey, I wanted a head start on it." He explained as Akeem sent a look to Hessa. Baha gestured to Hessa to come closer.

Hessa walked closer as Baha introduced her, "Akeem, this is the young lady I told you about. Hessa, this is my husband." She said as Hessa bowed.

"A pleasure to meet you." Hessa said.

Akeem sent a look to Altaïr as he smiled, "The pleasure is all mine. My wife told me you were beautiful but not that beautiful. Any man will be lucky to have you." He said, trying to make her blush which did not work. She smiled as she watched Altaïr sigh.

"We should go, shouldn't we?" she said as Altaïr nodded.

"Here." Baha said as she handed a pouch to Hessa, "Medicine and surgical dressing just in case."

Akeem looked at her, "Make sure to change his," he pointed to Altaïr, "bandages. He won't do it himself and the caretaker in Damascus is…not too gentle." He told her.

Hessa nodded, "I'll make sure of that."

"Now go." Baha said as Altaïr bowed and embarked his horse. Hessa did the same as she got on her horse, tying the medicine pouch to her horse. With a gentle hit of the feet, both of them were off. Baha and Akeem watching the two young assassins disappearing.

"Will he ever change?" Baha asked.

Akeem chuckled, "He already did."

* * *

><p>They had traveled for hours already and it was barely midday. The sun had risen hours before and was already hot. Hessa reached for her canteen as she took, for the first time since they left, her first sip of water. She tied her canteen back to its place as she looked at the sand and few trees visible on the road. Altaïr had not spoken a word since their departure from Masyaf.<p>

Altaïr had many questions he wanted to ask her but he did not know how to ask. He was worried it was going to be too bold. He looked at her and decided to risk himself.

"I have a question."

Hessa jumped at the sound of his voice as she turned her head to face him, "Yes?"

"How is Persia?" he asked as he looked in front of him.

She was surprised but smiled as she answered, "It's beautiful. Shiraz is captivating and there is always something happening. A lot of dancing, races and many other things."

He nodded, "And…" she looked back at him, "…do you have a family?"

_What is with him all of a sudden? _She thought as she still answered his question, "Quite a big one." Altaïr couldn't help but shiver at the accent and the way she said some words.

"How many brother and sisters?"

She laughed, "I'm the eldest of ten. Six girls and four boys." She told him.

"That many?"

That question surprised Hessa for one simple reason: he had shown emotion in his tone. He was genuinely surprised.

"Yes," she chuckled, "that many."

They kept silent for another hour. It wasn't a long talk but it was enough for Hessa. It had shown some sort of _curiosity _from Altaïr towards her. It had satisfied her.

"How old are you?"

Hessa was the one who asked a question, "Twenty five…you?" he tried. He had noticed that a few women back in Masyaf didn't like voicing their age.

"Twenty four."

Silence.

"Do…you have a last name?" she looked at him.

"Ibn-La'Ahad. Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad." He said.

"Son of none." She mumbled as she decided she would not ask questions about his family.

Once again.

Silence.

* * *

><p><em>Je pense qu'il prend cette mission un peut trop au sérieux. Il n'est pas littéralement obliger de me protéger en tout temps. = I think he's taking this mission a little bit too seriously. He's not literally obligated to protect me at all times.<em>

**WELL! I'm on a roll it seems. So here is Chapter 4! Although everything is drafted...I'm still confused on certain parts. Anyways, sorry again for the weird English structure ^^ I'm slowly getting used to write in english again. **

**COPYRIGHT: I do not own Assassin's Creed or any games or characters or story line etc. My OC'S are mine and the story line that has no connection to the game also, although it is based off the game. Don't sue me, simply borrowing for fun. All of this belongs to UBISOFT.**

**Enjoy! **

**R&R Please! No bashing, constructive reviews are appreciated! :) **


	6. Chapter V

GAINED & GIVEN

CHAPTER V – Questions

Three days and two nights.

That's how long the trip to Damascus would take. And they were well advanced into their second day. The rest of the trip the day before was silent. And so was the second day so far.

Altaïr watched his surroundings as he recognized them easily. That's when he knew he'd be approaching some Templars. He remembered that the first time he had passed through that valley some Templars had tried to attack him. He shot a look to Hessa, who was slightly ahead of him. He joined her as she shot him a look.

"Soon we'll reach the end of the valley," he started as she nodded, "and some Templars should be there. And they do not take 'no' for an answer."

She nodded, "Good. I also don't take 'no' for an answer." She told him as he simply turned his head towards his horse, staring at its neck. He looked back at Hessa, analyzing her equipment. _No sword?_

"You don't have a sword." He stated.

She looked at him, "I don't. Great observing skills you have there." She sarcastically said.

He frowned, "Why don't you have one?"

"I'm still a woman, I'm not saying we are weak, but I never found a sword that was light enough for me to carry. There were all too heavy and they slowed me down." She explained to her fellow assassin.

"What do you use in combat?"

_Again with questions. _She thought as she frowned slightly, "Hidden blade, short blade or throwing knifes." She answered.

"You're going to need more than that for those Templars." He simply said.

A sigh escaped her lips, "Why do men prefer to fight? Can't we simply try the easier approach?" she asked, exasperated.

"An _easier _approach as you call it is impossible with those Templars." He said.

She laughed, "Let me show you."

He furrowed his eyebrows, "Show me what?"

Her head fell for a few seconds before she brought her gaze back to him as she stopped her horse, forcing him to do the same, "That a different and safer approach _is _possible." She stated confidently.

He looked at her, "I'm keeping my hidden blade." Was all he said as she dismounted her horse, "What are you doing?"

She smirked, "Rearranging everything." She said as he watched her changing the placement of their blankets.

She suddenly removed a part of her tunic, leaving her only with the dark trousers and a large black blouse that she undid from the trousers, making her whole attire look like a dress from a certain angle. She looked around for something as her gaze fell on something a few meters away from her. She ran towards…a figure and talked to an old woman who was slowly walking towards a village they had passed. He watched as Hessa talked to the woman who then handed her something. He saw Hessa put the said thing over her shoulders as she brought a hood on her head. She walked back to Altaïr, who was still watching her with a eyebrow raised, and she looked at him. She did a double take as she returned her gaze to him.

"What?" she asked.

He simply shook his head as she continued playing with the blankets and supplies. She took thinner blankets to cover the thicker ones as she attached them with the ropes they had. She got back on her horse, this time sitting sideways, like any women would usually do.

"You're not taking my weapons to hide them?" he asked, not completely trusting her plan…a plan she didn't exactly tell him.

She shook her head, "No. I found what you will do. Here." She told him as she handed him one of the blankets, "Just tie it around your neck, just like a cloak." She said as he did what she asked for, none too happy about her being bossy.

"And what will I do?" he mumbled as he tied the blanket in a convincing way.

"Well…you will be protecting me."

He scoffed, "What are you? A princess? No one will believe that." He trailed off as he let out a sigh.

"You will see soon enough, _imbécile._" She snapped as she resumed their journey. Leaving Altaïr wondering what she had just called him in what he believed to be French. He followed her reluctantly.

Soon after they arrived at the end of the valley and just like Altaïr had said, Templars were guarding the area. Altaïr came up beside her and growled something in her ear, "If you get us killed…"

"I won't. Plus, you wouldn't let them kill you. You'd probably run off to save yourself." She snapped as Altaïr fell back behind her, just slightly.

"_Vous là! Arrêtez!_" A Templar said as he stopped Hessa and Altaïr, "_Que faites vous ici? Et où allez vous?_" he asked rudely.

Hessa removed her hood, "_Mon nom est Gabrielle Bourg. J'ai des délices et des cadeaux à apporter a un noble à Damascus._" She spoke as she tapped the fake wrapped delicacies and gifts she spoke of. The Templar still looked unsure, "_Pour un mariage._" She finished.

Altaïr was tense throughout the exchange. And the fact that he could not understand a word of it made it worse.

"_Qui il est, lui?_" the same Templar asked as he gestured Altaïr.

She smiled sweetly, "_Il est mon garde. D'après ma commande pour ses délices et ces cadeaux…ils devaient être protéger donc ils m'ont assigner un garde._" She explained while she gestured a graceful hand towards Altaïr.

Altaïr watched the men as they all looked at Hessa with lust in their eyes. Hessa definitely didn't look like someone from the land with her icy blue eyes and her light braided brown hair. And she spoke their language.

"_Dites moi le nom de ce noble._" The Templar ordered.

Hessa hadn't thought of that. Her story wouldn't make sense if she didn't have name. Her story made sense until she was asked that question. Her incredible plan was to pretend she was a French woman living in Jerusalem, whom was asked from a noble in Damascus to prepare delicacies and gifts. And to bring them to Damascus with the aid of the guard the said noble had sent. That some of those gifts were highly wanted and thus needed protection. But she had forgotten one detail: a name.

She smiled, "_Écouter, mon cher, tout ce que je sais c'est que je dois apporter cela pour demain à l'entrée de la ville. Là, les serviteurs viendront les chercher et je repartirais en direction de Jerusalem._"

A heavy silence hug in the air until the Templar gestured to his companions to let them through. He stopped Hessa before, "_Dites que le Lieutenant Charles Bertrand vous as laissez passer. Et,_" he grabbed Hessa's leg as he rubbed his hand over it, Altaïr tensed, "_quand tu repasseras, reste dont pour une nuit, d'accord?_" He grinned as she took his hand away, very gently, as she reached for her hood, bringing it back on her head.

"_Peut-être que je le ferais._" She lied as they passed without any trouble.

For a few minutes they were silent. Altaïr and her kept their attire on just in case. Hessa was ahead of him and she had stayed silent ever since they had passed through the Templars. He had to admit, it had worked perfectly. Although it took some time, it still worked but it seemed that what the Templar had said before they left had troubled Hessa greatly. Enough for her to stop speaking. He would have thought that she would have teased him by saying she was right. That it was _possible _to not fight.

But she didn't.

* * *

><p>They set camp later that night. They had stopped near a small lake and tied their horses to a tree nearby as they took their supplies and started to set camp. Hessa was sitting on the sand as she started the fire while Altaïr tried to see if he could find any fish or any food for that matter. For hours after the events from earlier, she hadn't spoken a word and eventually Altaïr had gotten…<em>worried <em>about her state.

Luck was on his side that night. He was able to fish out two fish, big enough for them to have one each. He came back to the came and heard her mumbling in French.

"_C'est putain de Templiers Français. Des pervers. Les hommes, ce ne sont que des animaux qui ne veulent qu'une seule chose, une femme dans leur lit._"

He didn't understand a word of what she had just said but judging by the tone of her voice, it wasn't too good. He noticed the way she rubbed her leg…as if she was trying to pry something off of her. _The Templar's hand…_he thought as he approached her, now with the two fish and two branches to stick the fish on it. He prepared the fish as she tried to warm herself. He handed her a branch with the fish as she looked at him for the first time in a while.

In his honey coloured eyes she noticed the way the flames from the fire were dancing, how shiny his eyes became as she took the branch from his hand, mumbling a small, "Thank you."

Her voice was shaky as if, as if…she had cried. _It's not like her. _But Altaïr retracted that thought. He didn't know her. He knew nothing…well, aside from the fact that she was an assassin, had quite a big family, that she spoke French and that she came from Persia. Aside from that, he barely knew anything. In silence, they cooked and ate as the air got colder and colder.

"Are you keeping guard first or do you want me to do it?" she asked as he looked at her from under his hood.

"You decide…"

"I will start." She said as Altaïr nodded, grabbing his blankets as he laid one on the ground, laid on it and brought another one on him. He shot a look at Hessa's back and fell into a light sleep.

* * *

><p><em>Her first mission alone. Tender age of seventeen and she was already sent on a mission alone. That was a miracle. Never in a million years she would have thought this would happen. After such a long time on it, she still couldn't believe it.<em>

_For the past month she had slowly infiltrated a group of rebels. Rebels whom had caused hell in Shiraz. And they had been for months. She had become close to the leader, Bagrat, and she had been invited in his tent for a 'romantic' diner. Over the past few weeks she had lured him into her trap…a trap meant to kill him._

"_Come in, my dear." He welcomed her as he took her hand and kissed it, bringing her directly to a bed, "There is something we need to discuss." _

"_What is it?" she asked. She felt his hand fall on her leg, rubbing it…close to her inner thighs. Her heart started to race. This was not going according to plan. _

"_One of my informant told me of someone in MY camp, lying to me and reporting to the assassins back in the castle of our highness Arman and Afsar." He started as she continued to play along. _

_She gasped, "Do you know who it is?" _

"_I thought maybe Raheem was the one…he was the last to join our ranks…"he started but he stopped. _

"_Yes…?"_

_He then got closer to her, grabbing her head forcefully in his hands as he brought it close to his, "BUT then, I was reminded that you, my beautiful Nasrin, also were new to this camp. Firuz had told me from the beginning not to trust you!" he spat as his grip got tighter._

"_What makes you think it is me?" she said._

"_Firuz had a talk with that informant and the lad told him of a beautiful girl with icy blue eyes. Eyes that were, oh, so captivating." Bagrat hissed as he threw her on the bed. He then removed his armour as he threw it on the floor, climbing on top of her. Restraining her as his hand aggressively caressed her inner leg._

_She couldn't do anything as he…as he…_

"NO!" she yelled abruptly as she woke up from the nightmare, sweating. As she looked around, her eyes fell on Altaïr and she jumped as she backed away from him, scared. Her breathing was fast and she was in a state of panic as Altaïr sat there, not knowing what had just happened and not knowing what to do. He decided that it would be better to let herself calm down…as he did not know how to comfort someone. She wiped the sweat away with back of her hand as her breathing slowly started to be regular again. She closed her eyes and opened them as she found herself looking at Altaïr's eyes. She found something in them that instantly calmed her down.

"I'm sorry…this won't, this won't happen again." She said as she brought a hand to her forehead, trying to stop the massive headache that was to come from happening.

Altaïr finally spoke, "A nightmare?"

She nodded, "Yes."

"What was it about?" he asked.

She froze. _Did he actually care? Or was he just that damn curious? Probably the latter. _She thought as she waved a hand at him, "Nothing."

"It was not nothing if you woke up screaming." He stated as he intensely looked at her, his gaze making her shift uncontrollably.

"It was…about…my biggest failure as an assassin." Was all she said as he remained silent, "I'm sorry. I will be going back to sleep. Sorry if I troubled you." She said as she laid back down, letting herself fall into a very light sleep. They had just exchange shifts barely two hours before and…she still had a few hours of sleep but…those were going to be impossible to have.

* * *

><p>Hessa woke up the next morning, their last morning on the road, with extreme nausea. She sat up fast and waited for a few seconds before getting up in a hurry, running a few meters away from camp, where a small bush was seen. She bent down over and instantly held her braid as she vomited. It was painful, the most painful it had ever been, and it didn't stop for a few minutes.<p>

Altaïr had seen her getting up and he could hear her being sick as he sat on the sand. He slowly got up and folded the blankets, tying them on each of their horse. He looked over towards Hessa as he noticed her bent over behind a bush, vomiting . _Was the nightmare so bad that it had gotten her sick? _Was what he was thinking. He didn't know what to do as he waited for her to be done.

Suddenly, silent was heard. He saw her getting straight back up as she slowly walked towards him.

"No questions, let us go." Was all she said as she mounted her horse, Altaïr following in her steps.

Hessa took her newly filled canteen as she drunk from it. She put it back to its place as they started the last part of their journey towards Damascus. The last day, finally.

"How long until we reach Damascus?" she asked.

Altaïr remained silent for a few seconds, "Maybe four or five hours. It depends on the pace we choose to take."

"Let's have a fast pace." She mumbled as silence hung, once again, between the two assassins.

They hadn't encountered any Templars on their last few hours of traveling as they reached the top of a small hill as they finally saw Damascus. Hessa let a sigh escape her lips as she smiled a bit. They rode down the hill and Altaïr motioned for her to follow him as she did. She watched as Altaïr suddenly dismounted his horse as he approached a man, talking to him as he pointed to the horses. The man nodded as Altaïr gestured to Hessa to dismount her horse. She did as asked.

"Keep them safe for us. Feed and clean them." Was all Altaïr said.

The man nodded as Altaïr and Hessa left to walk towards the entrance. She noticed scholars. _He has his way in and out. How am I supposed to get in? _She frowned.

"Do you have a way of getting in?" Altaïr asked.

"I'm thinking." Was all she said.

"Think fast." He said sharply as she shot him a look.

"Don't push me." She replied as sharply as he sent her the same look she had given him. Both assassins were now staring at each other, "Just go. I'll find my way in."

"I'm not leaving you here." He said.

"How touching. The novice not wanting to leave his companion alone." She sarcastically said.

He growled, "I'm no novice."

"From Malik's point of view, you are." She snapped as she saw a cart of hay being transported into the city, "Go now! I found my way in." she abruptly said as she ran towards the haystack and jumped in it.

* * *

><p>"Where is that woman I heard that would accompany you?" the Rafiq asked Altaïr as Hessa came in the bureau. She politely bowed to the Rafiq, who smiled. Altaïr had just gotten hints on where to gather information on his assassination target, Abul Nuqoud, and all he wanted to do was to leave and start his mission.<p>

His eyes fell on Hessa's figure as he noticed how utterly exhausted she looked. She had barely slept and had been sick the same morning. _I'm just gathering information. It shouldn't take long. _He thought as he took Hessa's arm and brought her in the courtyard.

"You should rest." He boldly told her.

Her eyes widened, "I'm fine." She said as she was about to leave but he grabbed her arm once again.

"I need a partner who is well rested and who is healthy. You barely slept and you were sick this morning." He sharply said as she sighed, her gaze shifting upwards as she brought her other hand to her forehead, "What is wrong?"

"Headache." She mumbled as she sat on one of the cushions.

He pointed a finger at her, "You are staying here while I gather information." ,as he went back into the bureau.

The Rafiq lifted his head up, "Ah, Altaïr. I thought you were gone."

"Hessa will be staying here. She isn't well. Can you make sure she eats and sleeps?" he asked while the Rafiq raised an eyebrow.

"Of course…"

"She's stubborn, feed her if you have to." He said.

Hessa had heard that last sentence, "Altaïr! I'm not a child!" she yelled as he walked into the courtyard.

He smirked, "Rest. And listen to what he says." He told her as she nodded. Altaïr gazed at her for a few seconds before climbing the wall, leaving.

Steps were heard and the Rafiq peeked his head inside the courtyard, "I have someone on the way to come and make you something to eat. It'll help you regain some strength." He told her as she smiled.

"Thank you."

She saw him go back but his head was soon seen again, "May I ask one question?"

"Of course."

"What does 'Hessa' stand for?" he asked.

"Destiny." She answered as he nodded and left once again, this time for good. She closed her eyes and let herself fall asleep, hoping this time it would be more peaceful.

* * *

><p>A hand on her shoulder shook her awake as she opened her eyes slowly, seeing the Rafiq's face. She sat up and she looked around, recognizing the courtyard. She looked at the Rafiq.<p>

"Here," she looked at his hands, "A stew. It should make you feel better. You have water and bread here," he pointed towards them, "Go ahead and eat."

She smiled, "Thank you." She said as she took a bite and swallowed it. The feeling of food going down and staying was good, "How long have I been asleep?" she asked.

He thought for a few seconds, "Near five hours."

Her eyes widened, "What?" she said, "Where is Altaïr?"

"He hasn't returned." The Rafiq said.

She sigh, "Thank you. I apologize for my outburst, I was just surprised." She told him as he nodded and went back into the bureau as she was left alone. She went back to eat.

She suddenly had gotten nervous. Altaïr had been gone for hours and he had not returned. And the sun was down, night making its appearance. What if something happened to him? _Pff, with his ego…never. _What if he was injured? _I don't think so. _She kept thinking of different scenarios that could have happened to Altaïr during those long five hours but in the end she just decided it would be better to stop. _It's not like I actually deeply care…_Or maybe she did. _No. _She was having this interior fight with herself. And it was annoying her greatly.

A loud thump was suddenly heard and she looked up to see Altaïr.

"Where were you all this time!" she half-yelled. _I feel childish. _

He looked surprised at her sudden outburst, "Gathering information." Was all he said.

"And that takes five hours?" she asked.

He was about to answer until a smirk appeared on his face, "You were worried."

"I was not." She said, "I was just surprised you were that slow to gather information on your target." She scoffed.

He frowned, "I'm not slow."

She scoffed again, "Well, who fell behind when he was trying to get to me because he wasn't fast enough? You."

Silence fell.

"You two sound like an old married couple." The Rafiq's voice was heard as they frowned.

Silence again.

She swallowed hard, "But hum," she started, not looking at Altaïr, "you are alright…are you?" she mumbled. Hessa had always been someone who worried over people, even people she would always argue with or even, people she hated. She never wanted something bad to happen to one of them.

He looked over at her, "I'm fine." He said as he didn't feel like fighting with her anymore. It seemed like that little 'game' had already grown old. She was right, they were going to be partners and they would have to get along somehow.

"Are you going to assassinate your target now?" she asked.

He shook his head, "He is throwing a party tomorrow. That's when I will attack. I need to find a way to infiltrate his palace."

"Palace?"

"His name is Abul Nuqoud. He's also known as 'the Merchant King'." He said as he sat on a cushion in front of her.

She took a piece of bread, "And where is the palace located at?"

"Rich District."

A sigh escaped her lips, "Which means there a lot of archers and guards." She mumbled as she thought.

"Which makes it more difficult." He mumbled after her.

They stayed silent as they both thought.

"Altaïr! When are you coming in to tell me of your findings?" was all the Rafiq said as Altaïr got up and left to go inside the bureau.

He stayed with the Rafiq for quite some time before coming back out with his own dish of stew, bread and water as he sat down and ate.

"The Rafiq informed me that the meaning of your name was quite interesting." He told her as she looked up at him.

"Yes?"

"What is it? What does it mean?" he asked.

She looked at him, "Destiny."

He simply nodded as they went back on the subject of the assassination. They tried to make a plan to infiltrate de palace and kill Abul Nuqoud. They went through a lot of plans and couldn't find one as they were discouraged. Hours passed and fatigue slowly started to overcome the two assassins as they both fell asleep in a sitting position.

The Rafiq walked inside the courtyard to tell them he was leaving to go to sleep but instead he found both of them asleep. He smiled as he picked up the plates and cups, bringing them back in the bureau. As he went back out, with blankets he had just taken out, he saw Altaïr, whom had opened his eyes.

"Still a light sleeper." The Rafiq said.

Altaïr nodded as the Rafiq continued, "I'm off to sleep." He said as he looked at Hessa, "Better put her in a more comfortable position. Here are some blankets." He said as he left.

Altaïr got up and approached Hessa's sleeping figure. He slipped an arm under both of her legs and the other in her back as he shifted her position so she would be lying down. He took one of the blankets brought by the Rafiq and covered Hessa's figure with it. He took a few cushions and placed them under her head. He then did the same but for him. He laid down and let himself fall asleep.

Minutes later, The Rafiq had come out of his room, as he had just remembered something. He walked towards the courtyard but stopped as noticed the two assassins were fast asleep. He looked from Altaïr to Hessa for a few minutes until he smiled as he shook his head. He turned his back to them as he walked back to his room.

"Not a coincidence at all." He said to himself.

He remembered something.

He shrugged his shoulder as a tiny and low laugh escaped his lips. He shook his head as laid down in his bed.

"Hmm, Destiny."

* * *

><p>Translation:<p>

_Imbécile = Imbecile/Stupid_

_Vous là! Arrêtez! Que faites vous ici? Et où allez vous? = You there! Stop! What are you doing here? And where are you going?_

_ _Mon nom est Gabrielle Bourg. J'ai des délices et des cadeaux à apporter a un noble à Damascus. __Pour un mariage. = My name is Gabrielle Bourg. I have delicacies and gifts to bring to a noble in Damascus. For a wedding__

_Qui il est lui? = Who is he?_

_Il est mon garde. D'après ma commande pour ses délices et ces cadeaux…ils devaient être protéger donc ils m'ont assigner un garde. = He's my guard. Based on my order for those delicacies and gifts...they needed to be protected and thus they assigned me a guard._

_Dites moi le nom de ce noble. = Tell me the name of this noble._

_ _Écouter, mon cher, tout ce que je sais c'est que je dois apporter cela pour demain à l'entrée de la ville. Là, les serviteurs viendront les chercher et je repartirais en direction de Jerusalem. = Look, dear, all I know is that I have to bring this tomorrow at the city entrance. There, servants will come and take and I'll be on my way to Jerusalem.__

_ _Dites que le Lieutenant Charles Bertrand vous as laissez passer. Et __quand tu repasseras, reste dont pour une nuit, d'accord? = Say that Lieutenant Charles Bertrand let you pass. And when you'll pass by here again, stay for a night, alright?__

__Peut-être que je le ferais. = Maybe I'll do it. __

__ _C'est putain de Templiers Français. Des pervers. Les hommes, ce ne sont que des animaux qui ne veulent qu'une seule chose, une femme dans leur lit. = Those damn French Templars. Perverts. Men, they are animals and they want only one thing, a woman in their bed.___

**Well, well. Still on a roll it seems. **

**I'm not as satisfied with it but I just didn't know what to do. I like it but not as much as the last two. There's a lot of French in it, I apologize. I'm still trying to get used to english. I apologize for any mistake. Like I said, I'll be correcting each chapter one by one. Very soon.**

**Disclaimer: Assassin's Creed and all the characters and original plot belongs to Ubisoft. I own nothing except my own added plot and my OC.**

**Enjoy!**

**R&R Please! No bashing, constructive reviews are appreciated! :)**


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